In Memoriam: Dan Madison, CapMin North America Director

It is with deep regret that I inform you that my dear father-in-law Dan Madison, who served as Capitol Ministries America Director and National Administrator, has died of complications from COVID-19. He was a committed colleague, a mentor to many, an excellent example to us all, a cherished friend, and a precious brother in Christ. We know he is with the Lord. Please keep Capitol Ministries and Dan’s family in your prayers.

In Him,

Ralph Drollinger

BY ALL THE WORLD’S STANDARDS, DAN MADISON WAS A SUCCESSFUL MAN. But focusing on career accomplishments and being admired for worldly success was never Dad’s objective. Dad’s mission in life, his calling, his deepest desire was to live a life pleasing to God.

Dad was born Nov. 22, 1936, in Burbank, CA, the son of Julius and Geneva Madison (née Loop). He grew up in California and attended public schools there. After World War II, Dad enlisted in the U.S. Army during peacetime. Dad was stationed in Ethiopia where he served as a codebreaker and deciphered Morse Code messages. While in Ethiopia, Dad met the young woman who was to be his wife, Diane Lenore Skinner who was living in Africa with her parents. Grandpa was a principal of the Army based school, and Grandma was the school librarian. Dad and Mom married December 26, 1959 and made their home in Van Nuys, CA. Skilled in business, Dad worked for State Farm Insurance from 1958-1995, rising to the position of supervisor. In 1973, he earned a Bachelor of Law degree from La Salle Extension University.

Dad and Mom were devoted to each other their entire lives and to creating a Christ-centered home. Mom describes Dad as “the love of my life” and he felt the same about her. Dad and Mom had three children, Dale, Danielle, and Lisa. Dad was a dedicated family man. He took us everywhere! We grew up camping, fishing, and going to Christian Family Camp every year. He coached our girls’ softball teams and boys’ basketball teams. We spent hundreds of hours with him practicing our sports in the backyard. He always took us to church on Sunday and we rarely missed a mid-week service. He read us a family devotion most nights at din- ner our whole life. We three grew up knowing we were cherished and steeped in the Word of God.

Feeling a call to full-time ministry, in 1985 Dad and Mom moved to Florida to join Bible Alliance, an international ministry that creates the Bible on tape for the blind throughout the world. In 2004, they moved to Mount Hermon, CA at which point Dad became National Administrator for Capitol Minis- tries, the international Christian ministry founded by his daughter and son-in-law, Danielle and Ralph Drollinger to make disciples of Jesus Christ throughout the political arena of the world. In 1995 Dad earned a Bachelor of Biblical Studies from Bethany Bible College. In 2015, Mom and Dad moved to Clovis, CA to be closer to us and their grandchildren. Months before he died, Dad was promoted to America Director of Capitol Ministries. In that position, he was responsible for shepherding ministry leaders who lead Bible studies to legislators in state capitols across the country, and with growing the ministry in the United States.

Dad was much loved, respected, and valued by all who were fortunate to know him.

Affable, dependable, trustworthy, and reliable, Dad was blessed with many who embraced him as friend. One friend, Rod Milton, said he thinks of Dad when he remembers 1 John 1:1-4. “When I look at this passage from First John, I can see a long line of past faithful believers descending from John’s time, each proclaiming the Good News of Salvation to those around them. I see Dan’s face, bright and bold in their midst among those in the latter end of the line, faithfully proclaiming God’s Word and promises in a dark world. Dan was a dear friend. His life experiences, his faithful commitment to steward the relationships God brought into his life, his devotion to his family, his consistency in his walk and his Love for Christ all came together in the remarkable man I was blessed to come to know.”

Those who love Dad describe him as faithful, a shepherd, dependable, a rescuer, steady, unflappable, a provider, loyal, a good friend, steadfast, trustworthy, reliable, dedicated, committed, truthful, responsible, honest, and, most important, especially to Dad, a man of God. The last two years of his life, Dad began an ex- tended family weekly Bible study by Zoom. He taught through Ephesians up until the week before he passed.

His friend Rod, who he invited to attend the Bible study, remembers, “Watching Dan and Diane with multiple generations scattered around the house engrossed in God’s Word was a blessing I will treasure always. It is a joy to recall our friendship. I count Dan among the great blessings God has gifted me.”

When Dad contracted COVID-19 and his health began to fail shortly after Christmas, people around the world prayed that the Lord would spare his life. If that was not to be, we prayed for God’s will to be done. God did not grant our first prayer, and Dad would have been the first to accept with gratitude that God grant- ed our second. Dad’s favorite Bible verse was Philippians 1:21, “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

At 1:50 p.m. Pacific Time, Sunday, January 17, Dad died of complications due to COVID-19. He is survived by Mom, we three children and our spouses, Dale and Marianne Madison, Danielle and Ralph Drollinger, and Lisa and Darrin Cline, twelve grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren, whom he dearly loved.

Soon, Dad, like all believers, will stand before our Lord at the Bema Seat of Judgment. Christ will not pronounce punishment for sins committed by a child of God at the Bema Seat, rather, it is a place where rewards will be given or lost depending on how a believer has used his life for the Lord. Ralph said Dad has the Bema Seat to look forward to. “Dan graduated to heaven at the top of his class. He led such a faithful life for so many years, his reward will be great.” Dad often said to family and friends, “I want to finish well and be faithful to my Lord.” And so he did.

A memorial service is scheduled from 11 a.m. until 12 p.m. Feb. 20th at Farewell Funeral Service, Clovis, 4912 East Ashlan Ave., Fresno, CA 93726. Due to COVID meeting restrictions, attendance is limited to family. The service will be live-streamed by Zoom so others may join. Zoom information is found below. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to these nonprofit ministries:

Daniel Madison’s Memorial Service:

Saturday • February 20, 2021 • 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time
Join Zoom Meeting • https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83357401250
Meeting ID: 833 5740 1250

View/Print the Remembrance and Memorial Information here.