Madeleine Hershey (1963 – January 17, 2015) died in her Pittsburgh home held by loved ones. She was 51 years old.
Born in Squirrel Hill, Pittsburgh, to Carol Hershey (née Fine) and Nathan Hershey, Madeleine briefly attended Allderdice High School and Antioch College, but preferred hands-on learning.
She found her calling as a deep tissue massage therapist, through which she used her strength, gentleness, and meticulous attention to detail to serve hundreds of people for over 27 years. She joined with Darlene Smith, Aurora Smith, and Amy Simpson to form the group The Great Lominies, giving sacred lomi massage to people embarking on transitions.
She is survived by her partner of 20 years, Michelle Wirth; her sister Suzanne Hershey (Girish Altekar); and father Nathan Hershey.