Madonna’s Stepmother Joan Ciccone Dead at 81

Madonna’s stepmother Joan Clare Ciccone has died. She was 81.

Her death was announced on September 24 in an online obituary that stated she had “a brief encounter with a very aggressive cancer.”

“She will be terribly missed by her family and friends whose lives she enriched with her enthusiasm, joy and love,” the obituary says.

Madonna has not released a statement in regard to the passing at this time.

Ciccone entered Madonna’s life when the singer was just 8-years-old. She married Madonna’s father, Silvio, in 1966.

The “Music” singer previously opened up about the relationship that she had with her stepmother in an interview with Larry King in 2002. During the interview, she said that he “sometimes suffered” amid “moments of chaos.”

“My mother died when I was little and that was difficult for me for a while. I mean truthfully, I didn’t accept my stepmother when I was growing up. In retrospect, I think that was really hard on her. She was [trying]… I’m very close to my father and I didn’t want to accept change in my life,” Madonna told the talk show host.

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More recently, in 2015, Madonna spoke to Rolling Stone where she revealed that she “didn’t have any relationship” with Ciccone and had “no role model” to look up to.”

Currently, it is unclear as to if the pair ever made amends over the years.

Silvio and Ciccone shared daughter Jennifer, 56, and son Mario, 55. The couple had another son in 1967, but he passed away due to a heart defect.