Esther Joyce Struble was born April 18, 1919, on a farm in Charles Mix County, near Platte, South Dakota, the daughter of Harold and Marjorie (Harris) Struble.

At the age of seven, she moved with her parents to a ranch in Washabaugh County, southwest of Wanblee.

She grew up in that community and attended Eagle's Nest Country School.  As a young lady, she did domestic work for various people in that community.

Esther was united in marriage to John Chris Madsen on December 29, 1939, at Rushville, Nebraska.  They made their home on a ranch southwest of Wanblee until the early 1940s when they moved to a ranch east of Interior.  They resided there until 1948 when they moved to a ranch west of Interior.  Because of Chris' failing health, they moved into Interior, in 1956.

After Chris' death on September 24, 1960, Esther continued to make her home in Interior until moving to Kadoka in 1963.

Esther worked as a nurse's aide at the Kadoka Care Center from 1963 until health reasons forced her retirement in 1982.  She moved into the Gateway Apartments in January of 1983 and later into the Kadoka Care Center, where she has since resided.

Esther was a member of the Presbyterian Church, the Badlands Lions Club, as well as the Tri-County Senior Citizens, all of Kadoka.

Grateful for having shared her life and her three sons, Chris W. Madsen and his wife, Patricia, of Presho, Durward Madsen and his wife, Judy, of Huron, and Arlo B. "Bruce" Madsen and his wife, Bonnie, of Kadoka; one daughter, Marjorie Brookens and her husband, Eugene, of Sioux Falls; 15 grandchildren; two step-grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren; four step-great-grandchildren; three brothers, Leslie Struble of Kadoka, Clayton Struble of Denver, Colorado, and Dell Struble of Belle Fourche; one sister, Dorothy Briggs of Kadoka; and a host of other relatives and friends.

In addition to her husband, John Chris Madsen, she was preceded in death by her twins, Chris Harold and Bonna Belle Joyce Madsen; a grandson, Patrick William Madsen; her parents; and a sister, Amy Dunsmore of Kadoka.

Services
Saturday, August 26, 2000
2:00 p.m.
Presbyterian Church
Kadoka, South Dakota

Officiating
Pastor Gary McCubbin

Music
JoAnne Stilwell - Organist
Susan Davidson - Vocalist

Ushers
Mike Struble - Paul Briggs

Active Pallbearers
Jeff Madsen - Willie Madsen
John Madsen - Michael Madsen
Kelly Madsen - Lester Madsen - Leonard Janis

Honorary Pallbearers
All relatives and friends in attendance

Interment
Kadoka Cemetery
Kadoka, South Dakota