Service of Remembrance for Madeline Henderson, 85, of Lodgepole, SD, will be Wednesday, May 23, 2007 at 10:30 a.m. at the Hettinger Lutheran Church. Rev. Kathleen Dettmann will officiate and burial will follow at the Hettinger Cemetery. Visitations will be from 1:00 to 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 22 at the Evanson Jensen Funeral Home in Hettinger and one hour prior to the funeral on Wednesday morning.


Madeline Felt was born on the homestead, south of Ellingson, (Harding County, South Dakota), October 17, 1921, the daughter of Algoth and Anna (Hagen) Felt, delivered by her midwife Grandmother. Madeline grew up on the homestead and attended a rural school, also attended school in Aberdeen, South Dakota and later graduated from Hettinger High School in 1939.


Madeline had 5 brothers and 2 sisters: Marvin, of Seattle, Washingon; Phyllis Connor, deceased; Reuben, deceased; Lora Meredith, of Seattle, Washington; Victor, deceased; Jim, deceased; and Ivan, of Baker, Montana.


Madeline lived through the Depression - she stated many times how "horrible" those times were, recalling her Father throwing his jacket on a fence post and forgetting it while working; later going back to get it with the only thing left being shreds from the hordes of grasshoppers eating it. Her chores as a child were to keep the house clean and milk the cows.


Madeline was united in marriage June 1, 1940 to Vinton Merle Henderson in Baker, Montana. Vinton and Madeline celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary June 1, 2000. Vinton died 2001 of complications from Parkinsons' Disease. To this union four children were born. Madeline was very active in the Lodgepole Lutheran Church and later in the Hettinger Lutheran Church, Miriam Circle, Grand River Extension Club, Beta Sigma Phi, Lodgepole Ladies Aid, WELCA, Hettinger Hospital Auxiliary and the Community Clothes Closet. Madeline Henderson passed away on May 19, 2007 at the Hillcrest Care Center in Hettinger.


Those most grateful for having shared in her life are her children, Trudy Stauffacher, Bismarck, North Dakota; Marlis (Gary) Froistad, Shawnee, Kansas; Renee Henderson, Kenai, Alaska; Terry (DeNae) Henderson, Lodgepole, South Dakota; seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, Stephanie (Dan Burns) Froistad, children Jennifer & Travis Cavender of Omaha, Nebraska; Kristin (Nick Blosser) Froistad, children Paine & Smith of Savannah, Georgia; DeAnn (Neil) Anderson - Kaliq, Calder & Kaedon of Springfield, Missouri; Robert Stauffacher, Bismarck, North Dakota; Brett Henderson, Casper, Wyoming; Lindsey Henderson, Grand Forks, North Dakota; Kyle Henderson, Lodgepole, South Dakota. She was preceded in death by her parents, three brothers, one sister and her husband, Vinton. A memorial will be established by her family.