Denise Margaret Maddix

Denise Margaret Maddix died June 18 after battling with leukemia and complications arising from a stem cell transplant. She was 46.

Maddix was born in Alameda, graduated from Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School as the valedictorian and was a proud sum cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa graduate of UC Berkeley. She worked as a computer scientist at the Laboratory. Some of her research was published.

Maddix started at the Lab in June 1983, working as a student intern for two summers in the Mathematics/Statistics Division. After receiving her bachelor's degree in applied mathematics in 1984, she became a full-time computer scientist supporting the Fossil Energy Group of the Earth Sciences Department. There she worked on seismic, geomechanical and hydrodynamics modeling.

Maddix had a passion for math and truly enjoyed her algorithm and code development. Later she joined the ARAC project and worked there for many years developing dispersion models. She was meticulous in her work and a joy to work with. Colleagues will sorely miss her energy and upbeat attitude. Due to her illness, she retired from LLNL in June of 2007.

She enjoyed tending to her garden filled with roses.

Maddix is survived by her husband Daniel Maddix; daughter Danielle Maddix; parents Joseph and Catherine Cervelli; brother Joseph Cervelli Jr.; aunts and uncles Mark and Margaret Ratto and Nicholas and Laurie Ratto; and cousins Angela and Paula Ratto. She was preceded in death by grandparents Aladino and Eda Cervelli and Teresa and Giobatta Ratto.

Services have been held. Memorial contributions may be made in her name to UC San Diego, Blood Cancer Research Fund, Attn: BCRF Administrator c/o Mary Carpenter, 3855 Health Sciences Drive, La Jolla, CA 92093-0820.