I just wanted to send my condolences to Don's family. It was an honor to have known him and I greatly appreciated hearing from his family during this time.

I will remember him fondly and my thoughts and prayers are with you.

Mel Knotts

Don and Jen made the years we lived in Iowa City some of our most pleasant memories. We have talked with Don on the phone many times since we left there, and we will miss him.

Don was very active in church and was on the Board of Directors of the Lutheran Student Association on the University of Iowa campus. He was a great encouragement to those involved.

Our condolences to his family members on his loss.

Hello Erik: Thank you for sending us the obituary for you father. Your family were good neighbors and we miss having all of you in the neighborhood. We will miss your Dads

Christmas letter each year it was so nice of him to keep in touch every year.

Hello to your mother and best wishes to all you.

Beth / jim

Professor Madsen taught me Thermodynamics in 1974 at the University of IOWA. I had never taken an engineering class in my life. I was thinking of dropping out of college at the time. However , because of his concern for me as one of the few black engineering students at IOWA he took me under his wings! Not only did I get my first A in an Engineering class I went on to be 5th in my graduating class of 1977 in Mechanical Engineering. I later went on to get my professional engineering license in Florida and start my own consulting engineering firm and have been in business now for over 28 years!

He also use to follow my track and field events at IOWA since I was a walk on and lettered all 4 years. Once I left IOWA he stayed in contact with me up until his death by ever so often sending me a card or a letter. He would always talk about his family and let me know how they were doing.

Because of Professor Madsen I can truly say he helped make me the successful businessman and Consulting Engineer that I am today.

As he would always say " The Integral of Pdv is "Work" in a constant pressure process". Working hard is one thing I learned to do from Professor Madsen!!

Finally, I give my sympathy to his family and say THANKS for allowing Professor Madsen to help make me the professional engineer that I have become today.

May God Bless his Family!

We are sorry to hear of the passing of Don.

Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.

Several years ago, Don, and his son, Nels,

took a trip looking at places in Don's past

around Council Bluffs. We were delighted

that they stopped by to visit with us. We had

a great afternoon talking about genealogy

and places they had visited or could visit.

Your family has lost a true patriarch.

Cal & Karen Petersen

Thoughts and prayers to all Madsen's from myself and my father, Gary. My father talked about Don's computers and educational success. Both from western Iowa and had a lot in common. All good.

I spent a lot of time up at the Whiting Avenue Court house that Don built. I was always treated well although Don liked to tease me. I remember the push button transmission Dodge Darts. And the computer room in the basement which was off limits to my unskilled hands. We played some bridge with Don, Jen, and Aunt Ad. And I was always thankful for the only accident I ever remember Don having. He had just installed new, white carpet in the dining room and I was afraid to death that I would spill on it. Before I could, Don spilled a pitcher of grape Kool-Aid on it. But my favorite home improvement was the indoor weather station. Every time I visited I checked its results.

I will miss Don as I miss visiting his home and family.

Donald Madsen's grandfather - Laurits Peter Madsen - who built the first automobile in Council Bluffs, Iowa, was my grandmother's brother, thus Don and I were second cousins. Since we were about a decade apart in age, we didn't really know each other until after we had both become engineering professors, Don at Iowa and myself at Iowa State. We had many conversations together through the years since, and I will certainly miss our friendship and those conversations, the last of which was about a year ago.

Jim Iversen

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Let me speak for Cecil Fretwell (1936-2010) my husband of fifty years (m.1959) when I say how much he admired this teacher at the University of Iowa. To the family, I am sorry for your loss -- Shela

Jen and family

We are sorry to hear of your loss. I remember so many times when my mother would speak so fondly of times spent with you. Thoughts and prayers are with you in this difficult time,hopefully your fond memories will comfort you all .

Ed & Trudy Riley family

Mary, Jean, John and Pat