The late Dr. Sandra Madsen, who passed away on August 12, taught at Buena Vista (College) University from 1973 to 1999. She coached Speech and Debate and also served as Mayor of Storm Lake.

Dr. Sandra (George) Madsen passed away on August 12, 2026, in Iowa City, Iowa.

Dr. Madsen was born in Milwaukee, Wisc. on Dec. 1, 1943, the first child of Robert and Evelyn (Curry) George. The family added brother Raymond and sister Kathy. Sandy was active in school and church choirs. She also enjoyed bowling and playing the accordion. 

Sandy went on to attend Carthage College in Illinois, then earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where she met her husband, John Madsen, while both competed on the debate team. John and Sandy were married in 1967, and settled in Palmrya, Wisc. In 1967, daughter Kaaren was born. 

The young family then relocated to Lawrence, Kan. as John and Sandy pursued their PhDs at the University of Kansas. Son Michael joined the family in 1971.

Following the completion of her PhD, Dr. Madsen taught at Buena Vista (College) University from 1973 to 1999 in Storm Lake, Iowa. She coached Speech and Debate and spent many weekends on the road driving students to tournaments around the Midwest, proudly piloting school vans emblazoned on the front “Here Come the Beavers” and “There go the Beavers” on the back.

Sandy, along with Dr. John Madsen, initiated summer exchange programs that welcomed to Storm Lake hundreds of high school boys from Showa Daiichi High School in Tokyo, Japan, and college women from Koka University in Kyoto, Japan. Dr. Madsen led the inaugural group of Buena Vista exchange students to Hokusei Gakuen University in Sapporo, Japan. She also accompanied students on trips to Europe and Taiwan. 

Dr. Madsen would go on to serve as a Department Chair, Associate Dean of Faculty, and chaired and served on numerous committees. A true believer in lifelong learning, she took a sabbatical from Buena Vista to earn a Juris Doctorate at the University of Iowa in her 50s. 

During her time at Buena Vista, Dr. Madsen was also involved in the Storm Lake community. Following a fun night in bowling league, Sandy ran for (though NEVER campaigned) and was elected Mayor of Storm Lake, the first woman to hold the position. Calling herself a “Tax and Spend” politician, she championed a local sales tax that helped build a new Storm Lake City Hall and Storm Lake Police Station, and she won re-election to the post. 

Sandy was a staunch supporter of women’s rights and was often called upon to address this issue for local media. She enjoyed being known in town as the “crazy lady from the college.”

In retirement, Dr. Madsen relocated to the Quad Cities area to be closer to family. To celebrate her retirement and love of travel she embarked on a cruise that went around the world in parts of 1999 and 2000. Upon her return, she utilized her law degree while providing pro bono services at the HELP Regional Office of Iowa Legal Aid in Davenport, serving individuals that could not afford to pay for legal assistance. 

Sandy continued taking trips around the country and the world with a variety of travel companions, often blessed to be joined by family members, including her children and grandchildren. Having experienced so much of the world in her career and retirement, her more recent trips often resulted in observations of how places had changed since her last visit.

She also remained an active bridge player, belonging to several groups and happily subbing when needed.

Through her years of service and experience in education, law, and travel, Dr. Madsen inspired many, especially women, to have confidence, to take big strides forward, and to remain confident in being all they could be. In short, she was wonderful woman whose passion and ambition were hard to rival.

Dr. Madsen was preceded in death by her parents Robert and Evelyn (Curry) George and her husband, John. She is survived by her children, Michael Madsen and Kaaren Quezada, grandchildren, Ilaria and Joshua, brother Raymond George (Betty), sister Kathy George and many beloved nieces and nephews.

The family plans to hold a Celebration of Life event for Dr. Sandra Madsen. At this time, the date and location are yet to be determined. If you would like to honor Dr. Sandra Madsen’s memory, please consider donations to a local food pantry, a local women’s shelter, and the Builder’s Fund (scholarships) at Buena Vista University at bvu.edu/give.