General David M. Maddox died on January 3, 2026, at age 87, with his wife and children by his side. Raised in Chicago, he would eventually earn four stars in the U.S. Army and lead 250,000 personnel as the Commander-In-Chief, U.S. Army Europe. General Maddox’s life was characterized by thoughtful resolve and faithful service.

After his 1960 graduation from the Virginia Military Institute, he completed two combat tours of duty in Vietnam.  His soldiers nicknamed him the Silver Fox for his clever tactics and the shock of silver hair that emerged in his twenties  - a name that endured for 35 years in the Army.  He later commanded the 2nd Cavalry Regiment, 8th Infantry Division, and V Corps. As a General, he was responsible for defending Western Europe against the threat of a Soviet attack and oversaw the reduction of U.S. forces after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Shortly after his retirement from the Army, his doctors diagnosed him with leukemia and gave him six months to live, but he thrived for decades. He went on to serve on the Army Science Board and was a champion for the military’s professionalization of Operations Research, the subject of his graduate studies at Southern Illinois University. He also was an intensive genealogical researcher, tracing his family’s origins to the early Colonies; he was a collector of art and wine, knighted in the Bordeaux wine region; and he was an avowed foodie. His life was always guided by his deep Catholic faith.

General Maddox was married to Ethelmary (McCleskey) Maddox for 57 years and together they had four children and 15 grandchildren. General Maddox will receive a Full Military Honors Funeral with Escort at Arlington National Cemetery following a Catholic mass. The date and time of the mass and burial will be shared once finalized by Arlington National Cemetery.

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