Charles "Charlie" Madsen

Charles D. “Charlie” Madsen, age 69, of Crescent, Iowa passed away December 28, 2017 at the Josie Harper Hospice House in Omaha.

Charles David Madsen was born September 14th, 1948 in Audubon, IA to Edmund and Evelyn (Andersen) Madsen. Charles was the 4th of 5 boys and grew up on the farm west of Elk Horn, IA. During high school, Charles worked for Dale Nelson. He graduated from Elk Horn/Kimballton High School in May of 1966 and enlisted in the Army that summer. In September of 1966, Charles began boot camp at Fort Leonard Wood, MO and served nearly 3 years in combat during the Vietnam War. Charles was honorably discharged from the Army on May 5, 1970.

Upon being discharged from the Army, he took on various jobs around the Elk Horn/Kimballton area, including working for Howard Juel. In March of 1977, Charles met Howard's niece, Anina, the love of his life. They were married a little over a year later on June 6, 1978 at Immanuel Lutheran in Kimballton, IA. They moved to Council Bluffs, IA, where Anina was a high school math teacher. Charles continued to work various jobs for a year after they were married until he began working at Quotron, servicing and installing stock market quotation systems. In 1982, Charles and Anina became parents to Aaron and two years later welcomed their second child, Analise, the first girl in the family in over a generation. After Quotron shut their doors in 1992, Charles worked a couple other jobs until he started working at the Main Post Office in downtown Omaha as a mail clerk in 1997. Charles retired from the post office in 2014.

Charles got to see both Aaron and Analise graduate from high school and college. Shortly after graduating from college, Analise married Curtis Letner and Charles became a grandpa for the first time in 2009 when Oliver was born and again with Eivin and Soren. Charles welcomed a new daughter-in-law in 2012 when Aaron married Edie and got his first granddaughter this past spring when Natalie was born.

Charles loved spending time with his family and friends. While raising their children, Charles and Anina thoroughly enjoyed camping and traveling, visiting approximately 45 of the 50 states. Charles could also be found tinkering around in one of the sheds, working on the acreage, turning a 20-minute drive into a 50-minute drive, or eating ice cream. Charles was quick to laugh and to make others laugh, even those he just met. He was always willing to help those around him. Above all, Charles really loved his family, especially his grandkids. Charles will be missed.

Charles passed away on December 28th, 2017.

Charles is preceded in death by his parents, Edmund and Evelyn Madsen and father-in-law, Alfred Christensen.

Charles is survived by his wife of 39 years, Anina; son and daughter-in-law, Aaron and Edie Madsen; daughter and son-in-law, Analise and Curtis Letner; brothers, Gary Madsen (Sue), Terry Madsen (Deb), Keith Madsen (Nancy), and Kent Madsen; mother-in-law, Oda Christensen; sister-in-law, Rebecca Delaney (Robert); brothers-in-law, Jerome Christensen and Marcus Christensen (Elizabeth); grandchildren, Oliver, Eivin, Soren, and Natalie; nephews, cousins, and a host of other family and friends.

Visitation is 3:00p.m. to 5:00p.m. on Monday January 1, 2018 at the Hoy-Kilnoski Funeral Home. Funeral service is 10:30a.m. on Tuesday at Emanuel Lutheran Church – 2444 North Broadway in Council Bluffs. Interment is later that afternoon in the Omaha National Cemetery. The family will direct memorials.