Arne Madsen
d. August 18, 2011
Arne Dyrløv Madsen, who passed away suddenly, but peacefully, on August 18, 2011, was born in Slagelse, Denmark, on July 6, 1916, one of nine children of Marie and Lars Dyrløv Madsen. He studied engineering and received his degree in mechanical engineering in Denmark. Late in 1950, he immigrated with his wife and daughter to the United States and settled for a time in Duluth, Minnesota, where their sponsors lived. In 1952, he and his family moved to Chicago, Illinois, where he worked for Kline Electric as an engineer. In 1957, he began work for the Army as a civilian at the Springfield Armory in Springfield, Massachusetts. When the Armory was closed, he transferred to Rock Island Arsenal in 1966 and retired from there in 1983. During his time with the Army, he specialized as an engineer in production and cost issues and was part of the team that developed the M16 rifle. He traveled widely on business in the United States and abroad, especially to South Korea.
He read extensively and his favorite subject was history. In his later years, he particularly enjoyed reading about WW II. He was very interested in people and their personal histories and views on a wide variety of topics. He also enjoyed being in the outdoors and visiting points of interest locally and around the country, but what he enjoyed most was his home and his family.
He is survived by his wife, Karen, of Bettendorf, his daughter, Birgitte Flanders, and his son-in-law, Alden Flanders, of North Andover, Massachusetts, his granddaughter, Margrethe Flanders and her husband, Aaron Lamb, of Malden, Massachusetts, his grandson, Christian Flanders, of New York City, his sister, Else Matheisen, of Denmark, his niece, Kirsten Ditlev Jensen, of Denmark, and other family in Denmark.
Memorial donations may be made to the Danish Immigrant Museum, 2212 Washington St. Elk Horn, Iowa 51531 and www.dkmusen.org or The Salvation Army, 301 W 6 th St. Davenport, IA 52803 and www.salvationarmy.org .
Online condolences may be expressed to the family by visiting Arne’s obituary at www.McGinnis-Chambers.com.