Ann Nicholls Madsen was born 27 September 1932 to Barnard Johnson and Bernice Larsen Nicholls in Salt Lake City, Utah. She graduated from East High School and the University of Utah, where she met Truman Madsen. He had written an anonymous article entitled “To My Dream Girl” for a church magazine, and Ann told him on their first date that if she ever met the author she would marry him. Truman never told her until they became engaged. They were married 16 June 1953 in the Salt Lake Temple. Truman had a jeweler inscribe in their wedding bands, “June 16, 1953 … then forever.” To their friends, their names became inseparable: “Ann and Tru.”
Ann is the mother of three (plus an Indian foster son), the grandmother of sixteen, and the great-grandmother of 21. When her children were in high school she enrolled at BYU. After receiving her master’s degree in ancient studies, she taught at BYU for forty-seven years, never missing a class until she was hospitalized during the last four class days of winter semester 2022. Together, Ann and Tru went about doing good. They served together as mission leaders of the New England Mission from 1962 to 1965. They worked together at BYU and served at the BYU Jerusalem Center, where Ann taught well-loved Isaiah courses as well as served as the Jerusalem Branch Relief Society President. She and Truman conducted many tours of the Holy Land, and traveled and spoke to groups around the world. Everywhere they went they made remarkable friends.
Ann wrote poetry all her life. As a scholar she also authored many articles and talks. After living in Jerusalem, she wrote, “Making Their Own Peace: Twelve Women of Jerusalem,” and in 2018 she co-authored with Shon Hopkin “Opening Isaiah: A Harmony.” In 2021 she published a biography of her parents, “‘…Then Forever’: The Life Story of Berenice Larsen & Barnard Johnson Nicholls,” and in the last few months of her life, she completed a chapter-by-chapter commentary on Isaiah for an online scripture service, and recorded (from her hospital room) a podcast on Isaiah. She served in many callings in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, including Young Women Advisor, Sunday School Teacher, and Stake Relief Society President. She also served on the Church Writing Committee and Sunday School General Board and as a lifelong missionary-at-large. After turning 90, and having “endured to the end,” she passed away peacefully in her sleep on Wednesday, 26 October 2022
(Source: Obituary)