The funeral for Patricia Madsen (96) will be held at 1:00 P.M. on February 8, 2023, in the Cottonwood 5th Ward meeting house, located at 5913 South Highland Drive, Holladay, Utah 84121. One hour prior to the funeral will be an opportunity for friends and family to meet together in the Relief Society Room. She will be buried next to her parents in the Salt Lake City Cemetery.
Patricia Madsen was born in the covenant on September 30,1926, in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the third child and second daughter of Richard William Jr. and Lucile Ballard Madsen. At the time of her birth her older brother Richard William III was 5, and her older sister Mary Lucile was 4. Sisters, Gloria Joyce and Donna Isabel joined the family two and five years later. She was taught the gospel of Jesus Christ from infancy by her faithful and loving parents and grandparents. Pat was baptized at age. eight, and is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Pat is preceded in death by both of her parents, her brother Richard William III (Dick), sister-in-law, Ruth Lee, her sister Mary, brother-in-law Homer G. Ellsworth and brother-in-law Harold B. Hulme. She is survived by her sisters, Gloria Joyce Hulme and Donna Isabel Williamson, and brother-in-law, Duncan J. Williamson. And many precious nieces and nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.
Pat was a renaissance person. She loved to travel. She loved to decorate her hats, creating all manner of new things, designing and sewing clothing; she loved to cook; she liked to garden and enjoyed plants, she was open to many new ideas and experiences... and most of all she loved to collect books.
As soon as Pat was taught to read, she developed a lifelong love affair with books... but she did not like to read fiction.... she had a thirst for history, she loved reading about the renaissance, especially the Italian Renaissance, the de Medici family and the great works of Art that they commissioned. She also had a love for British History and it was her opinion that Queen Elizabeth I was the greatest monarch
whoever ruled and lived. She loved American Military History, and she loved philosophy. She was a fast reader, had a bright mind and a good memory.
Pat’s mother, Lucile Ballard Madsen, had a great love for classical music which was played every Saturday morning while the weekly chores were done. Pat inherited this love. She listened to the classics at home... in the car... any time and all of the time. She loved J.S. Bach and Mozart. She loved visiting art museums, attending symphonies, going to stage plays, and attending the opera.
Pat achieved academic success throughout all her years of schooling. She especially enjoyed her association with the professors in the philosophy department at the University of Utah and graduated with a degree in Philosophy.
Pat loved her nieces and her nephews, she enjoyed their company, and looked forward to being with them. She also loved the grand nephews that she was able to associate with and be part of their lives.
About 1966 she began working for the family business, Sterling Furniture Company, which was founded in 1926 by her father, Richard W. Madsen Jr. She was a 5th generation of Madsen’s’ to work in the family furniture business. She drove herself to work every day until the covid shutdown in 2020 when she worked from home.
In the late 1970's she was invited to fill her father’s place on the ZCMI Board of Directors and was asked to serve on the executive committee. She loved serving and associating with her fellow board members. It was a sad day for the Madsen family when ZCMI was sold in October 1999.
Pat was independent and lived her life in the manner that she desired, doing those things that she loved to do. She lived in the only home that she knew... her parent’s home. She has passed through the veil and is now reunited with her parents, grandparents, brother and sister, cousins, nieces and nephews. We bid her a fond adieu until we meet again.
To view the recording of the services please click here: https://us02web.zoom.us/rec/share/NpIOYpgXPvWLfgqDbv-UARqwsrYyE51gEb33eSTLvkLXQ1IeGzvRyWaRMzNSGMBf.uY75s6dA7FPzXigT
So sorry to hear of Pat's passing .condolences to the families .
Sorry to hear this Sad news…. I’ve enjoyed her friendship, did a fair amount of work on her house along with my brother Marcus…. Pat always greeted us with a smile
We love and miss Pat, her great kindness and her spunky energy to go with! My family met Pat when she was already 90 and I was cleaning apartments for Sterling Furniture. On occasion I would have a unit to clean above the store and, without fail, if it was a day Pat was at work she would ask if she could read to and play with my one and two year old while I worked for a couple hours. They LOVED this time with her and for years after my son would ask when we could go visit our friend Pat! Much love to the Madsen family and condolences in your loss.