Born 26 November 1966 in San Diego, CA to Richard James Madsen and Jerry Lee Jolley. He is the youngest of four, older brothers Lee and Rick and his sister Stormy. Following his father's Naval service the family moved to Flagstaff, AZ where they lived for several years as his father began his telephone career. A career that saw the family moving frequently; Cody, WY, Idaho Falls, Boise, Kennewick, WA, Littleton, CO. John went on to live in Greybull and Thermopolis, WY, eventually landing in Salt Lake City, UT.

He spent over a decade driving a taxi cab when he decided to go back to school and become a truck driver. He obtained his CDL and went on to add the HazMat endorsement. He drove short haul runs between Utah and Idaho. He even drove a cement truck for Halliburton in the oil fields in Vernal, UT.

Though out John's life he had a passion for fishing. Even under the most challenging weather conditions, he would still insist on going fishing. It is his love of fishing that brought him to Bear Lake, ID. He fell in love with the area and the people and the eventually moved to St. Charles permanently. It is here, that John felt as though he were in heaven. He found a family that took him in without reservation, a woman that loved him unconditionally, he met and made many new friends. His heart was continually filled with great joy and happiness.

John was preceded in death by his mother and is survived by his father and step-mother Karen Madsen, his brothers Lee Madsen and Rick Madsen and his sister Stormy (Brett) Hassan, six nephews, 5 nieces, three aunts and uncles, and numerous cousins.