Erma Marie Madsen, age 94 passed away on August 8th, 2013 in Warrensburg, Missouri.
She was born, Erma Marie Gillies, second child of Ward Albin(Scrib) Gillies and Erma Osborn Gillies, in Beaver Utah. Her older sister, Julia, died as an infant. After the death of her father, when Marie was only 5, her mother moved the family from Beaver to Milford Utah where her mother ran the local Telephone office.
Marie and her brother Dan, were raised in the telephone office in Milford, where she graduated from High School and moved on to the University of Utah, where she pursued and obtained a BA in Home Economics Education. She taught school for a short time in Milford, but left that position to join Dell Madsen, whom she met at the U, in St. Louis Missouri. She and Dell were married on New Years Eve, 1941 in St. Louis, the marriage was later solemnized in the Logan LDS Temple.
St. Louis became their home for the next 41 years, where they raised their family of three daughters and 2 sons. Two other daughters, Virginia and Debora, passed away in childhood. She returned to teaching in St. Louis, first in a local nursery school, then part-time in the Home Economics Department at Webster Groves High School. She eventually became a full-time teacher and head of the Home Economics Department at the High School. She pursued and obtained her Master's degree in Early Childhood Development through Webster College and St. Louis University.
Using her degree, she brought several innovative programs to the curriculum at Webster Groves High School, including having boys in the Home Economics classes, a Tailoring class, and an early childhood development program that included a nursery school/daycare, as part of the program. That program remains in operation today and is one of the first on-site high school programs in the country. She retired from teaching after 25 years at Webster High.
She and Dell returned to Salt Lake City in 1981, where they lived in the Canyon Road Towers Condominiums. They served an LDS mission in Roanoke Virginia. After their return to Utah, they spent 41/2 years in the Temple Department at the Church Office building.
Marie became the caregiver of her mother, Erma Cline, till her death at the age of 96. She and Dell were active in the LDS church, both in St. Louis and SLC. As a member of the St. Louis 1st Ward, she was in charge of a building fund project, baking bread. For over 8 years, she spent two Saturday's a month, baking several hundred loaves of bread- white, sesame seed, poppy seed, and the ever popular cinnamon. This bread was sold door to door in the community surrounding the Jamison Chapel and the proceeds went to the construction of the St. Louis Stake Center. Marie had a busy life in addition to taking care of her family, teaching, and serving in the Church. She loved Family History work and was a member of the Daughters of the Utah Pioneers. She was an avid gardener ‚ the ultimate "green thumb". She loved to tat, knit, crochet, crochet knit, sew, embroider, cook, and teach others to do the same. Through her endless optimism, she was able to overcome many difficult times, including the untimely death of her father, Virginia's death at age four, and the stillbirth of Deborah.
She is survived by her daughters: Denise Madsen, Salt Lake City, Christine ( Larry ) Michaelsen, Warrensburg Missouri, Louise ( Ralph ) Benson, Bountiful, Ut. and two sons, Mathew Dell Madsen Jr. ( Diane ) Pleasant Grove, Ut, and Ward Samuel Madsen, Bountiful, Ut., 32 Grand Children and 101 Great Grand Children and 5 Great Great Grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Mathew Dell Madsen and her brother Dan Gillies.
A viewing will be held on Friday August 16, at the Larkin Mortuary, 260 E. South Temple, SLC, from 6 ‚ 8 pm. Saturday, at the Bountiful 16th Ward Chapel, 720 East 550 North, Bountiful Utah from 9:45 ‚ 10:45 am. Funeral Service will be at 11 am at the Bountiful 16th Ward Chapel and interment at the SLC Cemetery after the service.
Please make donations to the LDS Church Missionary fund in lieu of flowers.
