Jean Madsen

Jean Louise (Wray) Madsen passed away on January 6, 2012, at Littleton Adventist Hospital in Littleton, Colorado. She was 69 years old.

Jean was born in Garden City, Kansas to the late Jim Wray and Vera (Carlson) Wray. She moved to the Carlson family farm southwest of Trenton in 1944. Jean and sister Jan attended country schools through junior high, and graduated from Trenton High School in 1960.

Jean married Charles Hedke in 1963 in Lincoln, Nebraska. To this union a son and a daughter were born.

On September 5, 1987, Jean married Wayne Madsen at the Congregational UCC in Trenton.

Jean graduated from University of Nebraska in 1965 and was a science teacher for several years in Kansas, Minnesota, and Iowa. After moving back to Trenton in 1980, Jean took a position as Program Technician with the Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service (ASCS), later the Farm Service Agency (FSA). Jean retired in 2004 after 24 years.
Jean touched many hearts and lives with her active participation in a 12-step program, and will be greatly missed by those who benefited from her experiences. Jean loved the outdoors. She was an avid gardener and was happiest when dressed in her oldest shorts and tank top with a hoe in her hand. Her flowerbeds were her pride and joy, and many of the species were “borrowed” from places around the country where she and Wayne had traveled. She participated in many of Wayne’s groundwater activities, including wearing the “Wanda” costume to Wayne’s “Wally Water” in the Children’s Groundwater Festival.

Jean was a member of the order of the McCook Chapter of Eastern Star. She was also a member of the Congregational UCC in Trenton and lately served as treasurer.

Jean was preceded in death by her parents and her husband, Wayne.

Survivors include her son, Mike Hedke and wife, Nancy, and grandson, David of Aurora, Colorado; daughter, Brenda Sieger and husband, Forrest of Aurora, Colorado; stepson, Monte Madsen and wife, Erlene of Lone Tree, Colorado; sister, Jan Williams and husband, Jerry of Trenton, and three nephews.

Memorials may be made in her name to be designated at a later date.

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