Anna Madsen

Anna Madsen

(nee Olesen)

Anna Madsen (nee Olesen) passed away on April 18 2011 at the age of 90 years. She was born in Sonderskov Denmark on January 28, 1921 and was raised on her parent's farm. She was the oldest of 13 children and in later years she enjoyed several visits to Denmark to see all her relatives. In 2001, in her 80th year she was happy to make yet another trip to her home country.

When her schooling was completed she decided to pursue nursing as a career and took her training in Denmark. Her uncle Wilhelm Yuel and Aunt Della encouraged her to come to Canada for a holiday and working visit to experience life in a new country. While staying with Bill & Della on their farm in Mentmore Manitoba, she was able to find work as a Nurse at The Brandon Hospital, she learned the English language and decided to make Canada her home.

While on a trip with the Yuel family she was introduced to her future husband Oscar Madsen who had also emigrated from Denmark and was farming at Woodside Manitoba. They married in 1949 and raised five children there until 1964 when they bought a second home in Portage la Prairie. It was a busy life taking care of two homes, a farm and a large family. She loved nature and her favorite times were working in her yard and garden at Woodside.

Once her children were all enrolled in school, she decided to re-certify her Manitoba Nursing credentials and worked for 17 years as a Registered Nurse at The Manitoba Developmental Center in Portage. At a retirement banquet at MDC she greatly appreciated all the kind words spoken to her by her co-workers.

Anna had a creative mind, she loved to teach, and in the 1950's she became involved with The University of Manitoba Extension Library and supplied books to the Woodside community. She loved to read and was a regular at the Portage City Library. In her retirement years she volunteered her time as a literacy tutor at the Aggasiz Youth Center in Portage.

Anna had many precious years spending time with her grandchildren at her home in Portage as well as when family gathered at Woodside. She was an important part of their lives as a caring Grandma, and most notably for her youngest son Pete and his wife Betty and their children Derek and Dayne who lived close by. There will be many happy times reminiscing about 'Bedstemor' by all her grandchildren and many of her great-grandchildren. Anna and her daughter-in-law Betty enjoyed a special relationship and assumed a summer tradition of picking strawberries together for many years in Portage and raspberries that grew at the family farm. Anna's soft spot was looking for the niche where she could be the caregiver wherever she could as this came naturally to her.

Anna spent her final years at the Douglas Campbell Lodge in Portage and the family is grateful for the care she received there.

Anna was predeceased by her husband Oscar Madsen . She was mother of Bernie (Donna) Madsen of East St. Paul , Arnie Madsen of Woodside , Karen (Calvin) Buss of Calgary , Betty (Darren) Chapman of Calgary , Pete (Betty) Madsen of Portage la Prairie and the late Nina Madsen in infancy.

Grandmother of Chris Madsen, Miles Madsen, Teri Hastings, Justin Buss, Casey Buss, Kara Chapman, Marie Chapman, the late Jody Chapman, Ty Chapman, Derek Madsen, Dayne Madsen.

Great Grandmother of Daisy Madsen, Kai Madsen, Mathew Hastings, Haley Hastings, Aksel Chapman.

A family funeral was held on Saturday, April 23, 2011 at the McKenzies Portage Funeral Chapel with Interment at Evergreen Memorial Gardens. At the graveside, as verses were read about a future day when the Lord will come in the clouds for his Church, the clouds parted for several seconds, the sun shone brightly, and a cloud shaped like a hand reached down. It was a special moment celebrating the life of a special Person.

"My children, the time for me is truly past

I have loved you all to the very last

Weep not for me, but courage take

And love one another for my sake."

As expressions of sympathy, if friends so wish, donations may be made in Anna's memory to Douglas Campbell Lodge Foundation, c/o Portage District General Hospital, 150-9th St. SE, Portage la Prairie, MB, R1N 3T6.

A tree will be planted in memory and cared for by McKenzies Portage Funeral Chapel www.mckenziesportagefuneralchapel.com