Madonna's father, Silvio Ciccone, raised his children in a strict Catholic household. He became a widower after his wife died from cancer but married their nanny afterward. Although his decision caused a rift between him and his children, their relationship has long been mended.
Silvio Anthony "Tony" Ciccone is Madonna's father, born in June 1931. During the Korean War, he was stationed in Alaska with a man, Dale Fortin, and they quickly became friends.
During Dale Fortin's wedding, Silvio Ciccone was one of his best men, and that was how he met Madonna Louise Fortin. The couple fell in love and married in Michigan on July 1, 1955.
After marriage, Silvio moved with his wife, Madonna Louise Ciccone, to Detroit, where they welcomed their six children: Tony, Marty, Madonna, Paula, Christopher, and Melanie.
He raised them in a strict Catholic household and instilled several self-discipline, honor, reliability, and stoicism. These tools helped his singer, songwriter, and actress daughter maintain her status as a world-renowned performer.
Silvio Ciccone's Job Was a Secret
When his kids were still young, Silvio kept his job a secret from them. Christopher later revealed that their father designed the defense industry's laser optics and firing systems. He said:
"One day, when I [was] in high school, he [came] home with a revolutionary night-vision telescope, plus a photograph of a tank. After he shows them to us, he warns us never to talk about it."
In 2000, when his kids were already adults, Silvio became a business owner. He opened The Ciccone Vineyards and Winery between a Grand Traverse Bay resort and Leelanau Peninsula.
Silvio Ciccone sampling aging wine at Ciccone Vineyard and Winery in Michigan on July 18, 2006. | Source: Getty Images
Silvio Ciccone Married His Children's Nanny
Silvio Ciccone became a widower when his daughter Madonna was six years old. His wife battled cancer and tried to be the best mother to her young children until her untimely death. Silvio later remarried his children's nanny, Joan Ciccone, and they had two biological children.
At that time, Joan became the wicked stepmother everyone despised. She implemented rules and regulations in their household to keep the children at ease and everything in order. Her entry into Silvio's life had a lasting impact on his children.
For Madonna, she felt her father taken away from her. It was also a turning point for the pop star, who realized she didn't need anyone in her life. Her resentment towards her father's decision deepened with time, which she later addressed:
"My father had to go to work. I used to think he was a jerk. I didn't know his heart was broken."
Silvio and his daughter had an estranged relationship for several years. She didn't even call her father when she first heard herself on the radio. However, as time passed, they mended their broken bond.
Silvio Ciccone Has a Good Relationship with His Daughter, Madonna
Since reconciling, Madonna and Silvio have gotten along well. "My father is not an incredible verbal man, and that's been my frustration," she revealed. "What's difficult for my father is the idea that I don't need him – but I do need him."
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