Robert Carl Madsen

Robert Carl Madsen, the son of Mads Christian and Margrete (Steen) Madsen, was born May 16, 1922, his parents’ home near Exira, Iowa and died August 16, 2016 at the Avoca Specialty Care in Avoca, Iowa at the age of 94 years, and 3 months.
When Robert was one year old they moved to Kathryn, North Dakota. Robert attended schools in North Dakota. He then worked on the family farm. He joined the CCC and lived in the Montana area for one year. They then returned to the Audubon area. In 1944 he and his brother Earl traveled to California, where they worked in the shipyards for a year.
On September 8, 1946, he was united in marriage to Mabel Jensen at the Elk Horn Lutheran Church in Elk Horn, Iowa. They were blessed with two daughters, Ellen and Renee. They farmed in the Audubon County area north of Kimballton, Iowa for a short time. Also during this time, Robert drove livestock trucks for several area farmers. In 1948 he purchased a Cream Route which he operated for several years. Robert then drove livestock and did general trucking until 1968, when he became the Bus Supervisor for the Elk Horn/Kimballton school district. Robert held this position for over 23 years until he retired in 1990. During retirement he and Mabel enjoyed traveling around the U.S.
Robert was a member of Elk Horn Lutheran Church, the Danish Brotherhood at Elk Horn and the Danish Immigrant Museum. Robert and Mabel enjoyed their home. Robert moved to the Salem Lutheran Home in January of 2016. They later moved to the Avoca Specialty Care in June of 2016.
Preceding him in death were his parents; his father-in-law and mother-in-law Anders and Ottille Jensen his brother Russell Madsen: his brothers-in-law Dale Jensen and Earl Jensen; his sisters-in-law Annabelle Madsen, Frances Madsen, and Loretta Madsen; and his niece Carol Madsen Christensen.
Survivors include his wife Mabel Madsen of Avoca, Iowa; his daughters Ellen Kay and husband Gerald Eifert of Freemont, Nebraska and Renee Madsen of Omaha, Nebraska; his brothers Earl Madsen and Eiwind and wife Leta Madsen all of Elk Horn, Iowa; Fred Madsen of Mesa, Arizona, and Lester “Don” Madsen of Torrence, California; his brother-in-law Glenn and wife Marjorie Jensen of Marion, Iowa, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.
Funeral services will be conducted by Pastor Keith Menter on Monday, August 22, 2016, at 10:30 A.M. at the Elk Horn Lutheran Church in Elk Horn, Iowa. Interment will be in the Elk Horn Lutheran Cemetery east of the Church in Elk Horn. The casket bearers will be Wayne Madsen, Tim Fredericksen, Jerry Larson, Mike Williams, and Steve Christensen. The family will meet with friends Sunday afternoon August 21, 2016, at 2:00 P.M. at the Kessler Funeral Home in Exira, Iowa.