George Harvey Overgaard Madsen, born on Feb. 24, 1937, in Brookings, South Dakota, died on Oct. 21, 2024, in Duluth, Minnesota.
George spent his life as a Lutheran pastor, a theologian, and a husband to Marge and father to Anna and Else. He earned his BA in Philosophy with Honors in English at Concordia College, Moorhead, MN, his Bachelors of Divinity at Luther Seminary in St. Paul, MN; and his Ph.D. at Princeton Theological Seminary.
He taught in the Religion Department at Concordia College in Moorhead, Minnesota, and later served as pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Hermantown, Minnesota and at Grace Lutheran Church in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.
He was the Assistant Director of the Division of Theological Education and Ministry of the American Lutheran Church in Minneapolis, and in 2001, retired from his position as Senior Pastor at University Lutheran Church in East Lansing, Michigan.
From 2001-2004, George and Marge spent perhaps their happiest days in Martin, Slovakia, where George taught New Testament at the fledgling Martin Bible School.
George was preceded in death by his father Vagner Overgaard Madsen, his mother Kristine Olesen Madsen, his sister Esther Madsen Hanson, and his wife Marjorie Ann Stenslie Madsen.
He leaves behind two daughters: Anna (David Willis) Madsen and grandchildren Karl and Else; and Else (Jon) Madsen Goltz, and grandchildren Noah and Ben.
His funeral will be held in Brookings, South Dakota, at First Lutheran Church on Nov. 2, 2024, at 11 a.m., with burial immediately following.
Memorials may be given in his honor to the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America Good Gifts Program (https://goodgifts.elca.org/), to Gloria Dei Lutheran Church in Duluth Minnesota (http://gloriadeiduluth.org/) or to the Kamala Harris/Tim Walz election fund (https://kamalaharris.com/).
