Maurice L. Madsen, 81, died Sunday, December 21, 2003, at the White Healthcare Center in White, South Dakota. Funeral services will be 11:00 A.M. Saturday, December 27, 2003, at the Pioneer Lutheran Church with interment in the church cemetery in rural White. Visitations will be 4-7 P.M. Friday at Eidsness Funeral Chapel in White. Maurice LeRoy Madsen was born February 1, 1922, in Argo Township, White, South Dakota, to George Martinus and Inger Marie Mary (Nielsen) Madsen. Maurice attended school at Argo 26 followed by Agricultural School at SDSU until 1940. Following that he went to work on the family farm with his father. Maurice married Ruth Hartley, June 2, 1946, in the Methodist Church in White. They began their married lives on the farm where Maurice was born. Maurices parents remained on the farm with them until the fall of 1946, when they moved into White. Maurices father passed away in 1961 and Maurice and Ruth purchased the farm shortly after. Maurice was an avid conservationist and a good steward of the land. He firmly believed in leaving everything better than he found it. This was evidenced by the numerous awards he received. They include: 1979-Tree Care Award from the Brookings Conservation District, 1980-Recipient of the South Dakota Izaak Walton League Wildlife Habitat Award, 1984-Statewide and Regional Outstanding Tree Farmer Award by the South Dakota and Regional Divisions of Forestry, 1991-Land Stewardship Award from the Brookings Wildlife Federation, and 1992-Forest Conservationist of the Year from the South Dakota Wildlife Federation. Maurice served as a County Committeeman for the Farmers Home Administration, and on the Board of Directors of the Farmers Cooperative for Brookings County for several years. He also served as President of the Deubrook School Board and was a member of the Izaak Walton League. During his life, Maurice was very active in the life of the (Danish) Pioneer Lutheran Church. As a child he assisted in the building of the original church foundation by bringing rock from the farm to the church site. As an adult he served in many capacities in church offices. A perfectionist in life he enjoyed his family and grandchildren, as well as gardening, forestry, bird-watching and of course farming. In later years, Maurice became a creative woodworker, with family and friends throughout the area benefiting from his unique talents. Maurice retired from farming in 1990. He and Ruth remained on the farm near White. He is survived by his wife, Ruth Hartley Madsen, four children: James (Barb) Madsen of Watertown, Lynette (Gary) Clasen of Brookings, Steven (Cindy) Madsen of Sandy, Utah, and Cheryl Madsen of Minneapolis; eleven grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; a brother, George (Arlene) Madsen of White, and a sister, Stella Nelson of Brookings. He was preceded in death by his parents; a son, David LeRoy; a sister, Esther, and a brother Clarence. In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to Lutheran Social Services.