Austin Joseph Madsen's Obituary
Our beloved son, brother, husband, father, and dear friend to hundreds of people passed away on or about January 31, 2023, at the age of 32 while hiking amongst the rising foothills of Mount Dutton in Garfield County, Utah. Austin's love of nature in all its forms, and hiking mountains anywhere he could – either for solitude with God or comradery with friends or family – truly had no bounds. He lived large, loved deeply, and served passionately. He will be sorely missed!
Austin Joseph was born to Aron and Sherri Madsen on October 2, 1990, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He is the oldest of their five children. His childhood was spent in Marysville, Ohio soon after turning two years old when his parents relocated there in 1992 for employment and lived there for nearly three decades. From childhood, Austin was always curious and creative and loved tinkering with and building things, especially with lots of Legos. He developed talents and skills in art, Cub Scouts, swimming, running cross country, skateboarding, and snowboarding. He also achieved the rank of Eagle in Boy Scouts at 17.
The love of music became a tremendous outlet for him after teaching himself how to play guitar in his youth. It didn't take long before Austin would express many of his life's experiences and personal challenges by creating dozens and dozens of original, funny, or emotional songs with lyrics. He played these songs openly and often with many people, be it family, friends, or strangers. He was a wonderful storyteller.
Austin graduated from Marysville High School in Ohio in 2009. After graduation he moved to Bountiful, Utah where his family temporarily lived there for a few months before returning to Ohio. Austin stayed behind in Utah where he lived with his grandma and grandpa Madsen for a few years and cherished building his relationships and memories with them and other family members in surrounding counties. This is also when he quickly fell in love with the beautiful Wasatch mountains that surrounded him. This love would eventually germinate an interest in trail running years later so he could cover more distance, reach new vistas, and meet more people who had that same love.
Austin attended the former LDS Business College in Salt Lake City for a few semesters but became restless and eventually lost interest in that path. He found full or part-time work in various locations near Bountiful such as Dick's Market Deli, Pizza Pie Café, Diesel Sellerz, washing windows, and selling Cutco Knives. He thought each workplace was a learning opportunity and a place to build new and meaningful relationships with customers and the groups of people he worked with.
One summer he worked at an outdoor outfitter in Jackson, Wyoming that provided camping, hiking, and water adventures for High Adventure Scout group retreats in and around the stunning beauty of the Yellowstone and Grand Teton regions. He loved the peace and welcoming escape of that area while inspiring and mentoring those he led and worked with there. The capstone event for him that summer was climbing with a few friends to the 13,775 ft. summit of the Grand Teton mountain in about half the time without any ropes or other climbing gear.
Many people can attest that Austin has a natural and instant warmth and inviting smile that emanates when meeting him. His warmth and humor helped create immediate friendly connections at the many parks he visited when stringing up his slackline between trees and/or joining ultimate frisbee games in progress or simply playing his guitar in the open. He also found an instant connection and love for the Open Mic format and amateur artful community in Bountiful where he took it upon himself to be the lead emcee each week for a few years. Each year Austin continued expanding his creative list of original songs and learned to play the bass and drums.
Austin formed a few performing bands with his musical friends. One band was called The Mad Sons with his brother Christian. Together they spent the fall months of 2016 in Kanab, UT working at Jake’s Chaparral, a restaurant that caters to hundreds of seasonal international tour buses and vans. They did their level best to fake a convincing cowboy appearance to capture the western culture and music genre to provide a memorable “western experience” musical entertainment for the multitude of visiting tourists enjoying an evening meal.
Austin also flexed his construction skills and built himself a personalized tiny home in West Bountiful as he began working for security in 2017 at the City Creek Center Mall in Salt Lake City. That is where he eventually met another employee, Emily Barwick, and their relationship developed and grew outside of work. They married on June 26, 2019, in the beautiful greenery of Highland Gardens in American Fork, UT. Two handsome boys would soon join their family: Joseph in Oct 2020, and Graham in Sep 2022. Together they loved taking strolls through nature or driving through beautiful canyons and mountain roads. They lived in West Bountiful, Spanish Fork, then moved to Fredonia, AZ where Austin worked at the Re-Creation Retreat rehabilitation center as a youth coach helping licensed therapists who mentor troubled youth and help them build life and coping skills. They moved back to Mapleton, Utah in 2022 where he then worked at Mountain Country Foods.
Austin certainly led a life of love, exploration, and creativity at every turn. This trait is primarily driven by his love of God, the holy scriptures, and paving his own pathways and wanted others who needed the same to also have that guide. His initiative to establish his Balance Through Art experience was only one of several methods to do just that. He simply wanted nothing more than to help make the world a better place by one kind act, a touching song, or meaningful activity at a time. Unfortunately, Austin also had many deep pains and personal trials, but he wanted to use those trying experiences for the greater good -- to help others. If you know Austin, you know that he has reached so many hearts and individuals from all walks of life, young and old, who brought his community of friends together to love harder and do better. His mission and desire on Earth were to leave a positive impact on others. It is with a large smile, mingled with many tears, that we can truly say he has been successful!
Austin is survived by his wife, Emily Eliza Barwick Madsen; his two young sons, Joseph, and Graham. Also survived by his father, Aron; mother, Sherri; and four siblings; Taylor, Alicia (Jake) Turner, Christian (Elise), and Emily. Additionally, three nieces, Paige Turner, Kailey Turner, and Evelyn Madsen. He was predeceased by his grandparents, Kenneth and Gunborg Madsen.
The Madsen family and extended family members also wish to offer their deepest gratitude to the many individuals, both known or unknown, who provided extensive time, energy, and physical resources in coordinating multiple search efforts for Austin's whereabouts last winter and this spring. We are most grateful for the shed antler hunter who followed his instincts and impressions one special day to be at the right place and time when he discovered our beloved Austin on Memorial Day, 2023. Thus, the hundreds of people offering countless prayers for four months to help find Austin were finally answered! May God bless you all for your meaningful efforts and loving concern.
A Celebration of Life service in honor of Austin will be held Saturday, June 24 at 3:00 p.m. at The Bridge Community church located at 1284 W 75 N, Centerville, UT 84014. This memorial service will also be livestreamed via thebridgeutah.org website under the Watch Live tab.
What’s your fondest memory of Austin?
What’s a lesson you learned from Austin?
Share a story where Austin's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Austin you’ll never forget.
How did Austin make you smile?