Matthew Devine Madsen passed away on Oct. 10, 1996 at his home in Salt Lake City, Utah.
He was born in Logan, Utah on January 13, 1911, the fifth son of a family of twelve, to Niels Andrew and Emma Aeschliman Madsen.When Matt was three years old, the family moved to Gunnison, Utah where he was raised and attended school. He studied Art at BYU under Elbert Eastmong, B.F. Larson and Philip Barkdull. He also studied at the Alpine Summer School under Hanson Puthuff.
During 1934-36, he served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to Southern California. He married Delsa Maud Nielson in the Salt Lake Temple on May 29, 1940. He was a painting contractor doing homes and roofs and also a sign painter. On the side, he painted many beautiful mountain and ocean scenes and finally, in the early 1960's, he retired from contract work and devoted his time to his talent. In a 5-state art show in Phoenix, Arizona held January 1971, Matt was branded "The fastest brush in the West" by the 75 artists who were there. As the painter Robert Wood once answered the question, "How long did it take to paint this picture?", his answer being, "A few minutes, plus a lifetime." Matt can and does answer the question in the same way. He has painted and sold over 6,000 oils and has been recognized for his talent. His artwork has appeared on the program covers of the Days of '47 events, to hanging in high schools and city halls. During the late 50's and early 60's, Matt was also a member of the Olympus Male Chorus. He had a beautiful voice and instilled singing in the hearts of his children.
He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Delsa Madsen, Salt Lake City; and his four daughters and their husbands, Lynell and Peter VanderMeide, West Valley City, UT; Marcha and Howard Wilde, Nampa, Idaho; Kendra and J.H. Merritt, Thayne, Wyoming; and Shauna and John Groberg, Magna, Utah; 17 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren; three sisters and a brother, Leona Del Venne, Della and Roy Downs, Maylen and Marva Madsen, all Murray, Utah; and Ethel and Evan Ashby, St. George, Utah. He was preceded in death by his parents, four brothers and three sisters.
Funeral services Monday, October 14th, 2 p.m., Southgate Ward Chapel, 2702 South Main Street, South Salt Lake. Viewing Sunday evening 6 to 8 p.m., Memorial Estates Mortuary, 5850 South 900 East Street, and at the Ward on Monday, 1 to 1:45 p.m. Interment, Redwood Memorial Estates.
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