Madonna Gardinier, 92, of West Des Moines, IA, passed away Tuesday, December 20, 2011. Madonna was born on July 5, 1919, in Saline, County, KS, to Morris and Venice Berthelson. She attended schools in Saline County, and in Tescott and Lincoln. She graduated from Minneapolis High School in 1936.

She was united in marriage to Richard Gardinier on June 29, 1944 in Salina, KS. They lived in Minneapolis where Madonna worked as a telephone operator for SW Bell for 20 years and Dick was a mail carrier. They were members of the First Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, where she served as a Deacon, Trustee and Elder.

Madonna and Dick traveled extensively after they retired. She was a marvelous seamstress, loved to play golf, and have morning coffee with her "Ladies of the Round Table" friends.

Madonna moved to Waukee, IA, in 2002 to be near her daughter, Jan and her family. She was a member of Heartland Presbyterian Church of Waukee. In recent years she lived at Edgewater, a Wesley Life Community in West Des Moines, IA, where she received loving care.

Wherever Madonna lived, her heart was always back in Minneapolis, KS. She was a loving and generous mother and grandmother and always put her family above all else. Madonna belonged to the Order of Eastern Star, P.E.O., V.F.W. Auxiliary and the American Legion Auxiliary.

Madonna was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Ardith Gaddis and her husband, Richard Gardinier.

Survivors include her daughters, Connie Krelle (Art) of Albuquerque, NM and Jan Young (Bob) of Waukee, IA, her brother, Andy Berthelson (Martha) of Tacoma, WA Six grandchildren: Barbara Kriegh Allen of Mahopac, NY, Kayla Kriegh Hetrick and husband Sean of Denver, CO, Rich Kriegh of Buffalo, WY, Perry and Kris Young and Brenna Young of Waukee, IA and Clay and Leslie Young of Van Meter, IA and six great grandchildren: Madison, Megan, Macy, Jarin, Kyler and Mallory Young and several nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held at the First Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, KS on Wednesday, December 28 at 10:30 a.m. Visitation will be at the Wilson Family Funeral Home in Minneapolis, KS on Tuesday, December 27 from 2 P.M. to 8 P.M. where the family will receive friends from 5 P.M. to 7 P.M. Burial will be at Highland Cemetery in Minneapolis, KS.

Memorial contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church in Minneapolis, KS or Wesley Life Hospice of Central Iowa.