Donald Madsen, 82

Blair native Donald Madsen, 82, of Stillwater, Minn. died peacefully on Nov. 7, 2007, in Stillwater.

Services were held Monday, Nov. 12, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Stillwater. Interment was in the Oakland Cemetery in Marine St. Croix.

Donald “Skip” Madsen was born March 23, 1925, in Blair to Judge and Mrs. H. J. Madsen. He was one of 10 children.

He worked on the riverboats on the Missouri River and later obtained his captain’s license. At the age of 22, he was skipper of the 87-foot yacht, Patsea. He met his wife-to-be, Miriam, at the Sunnyside Marina, and the couple was married Feb. 6, 1948, in Nashville, Tenn. The Madsens cruised the Gulf Coast and Florida waterways for two years aboard the Patsea.

Upon returning to Stillwater, Mr. Madsen was employed by Andersen Corporation for 29 years. He was a member of the Quarter Century Club.

He served as skipper of the historical Andersen yacht, the Glengarry, for 28 years. He retired from Baywood Corporation in 1987.

In retirement, he enjoyed his family, boating and golfing. He was a member of trinity Lutheran Church for 57 years.

He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Miriam; son and daughter-in-law, Mark and Michele Madsen, and daughter, Maren Rosas, all of Stillwater; five grandchildren; brothers and sisters-in-law, Murl and Marilyn Madsen of Mesa, Ariz., and Bob and Sharon Madsen of Surprise, Ariz.; sisters and brother-in-law, Hattie Pitt of Blair, and Lois and Fred Donaldson of Henderson, Nev.

He was preceded in death by five brothers and one sister.

Memorials are suggested to Trinity Lutheran Church or the Stillwater Veterans Memorial.