Marjorie Elaine Ardis was born September 6, 1925 in Lamar, Colorado, and passed peacefully October 20, 2023 in Modesto, California. She is survived by her sons Steven and Ronald Ardis, grandchildren Rachel Darner of Newport, Oregon and Dana Ardis of Burgaw, North Carolina and nieces Tiffany, Roxanne, Star and nephew Jason. She was preceded in death by Norman, her husband of 45 years, and her sisters Cindi Neves and Diana Malloy and her brother Kenneth Reed.
Mardy, as she was known in her youth, lost her own mother in death at a young age and was raised, along with her brother, by her aunt in Santa Monica, California after her father remarried. She graduated with honors from Alexander Hamilton High School in Los Angeles, and Antioch College in Ohio. Margie was always curious about the world around her and had a lifelong love of learning. She enjoyed imparting that to others, becoming a teacher after graduating college. After marrying Norman Ardis in 1961 she taught in Oakdale for over 20 years.
That love of learning guided her in her example for their two sons and also her granddaughters. She was always enthusiastic about sharing creative pursuits and new hobbies with them, whether skinning a roadkill squirrel for the fur or stuffing a mouse, teaching codes and puzzles during downtimes, making acorn bread from scratch or investigating how to make gunpowder from the encyclopedia or having rocks broken apart in the geology department at MJC to show her sons what was inside. Her curiosity moved her to teach herself to play the piano, study Spanish and learn to score baseball games from a newspaper article. She was a voracious reader and taught her children and grandchildren the value of education and knowledge. Always a woman of faith, she was baptized as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses in 1991 joining Norman in sharing in spiritual activities that added to their bond.
She never lost that boundless curiosity and interest in new things. After the death of her husband in 1996, she didn’t slow down. She was an active and well-loved member of her congregation, and continued to pursue her interests by means of travel, hobbies, and reading.
Her love of learning did not inflate her ego however. “She never had a bad word to say about anybody” is a common expression, and in Marge’s case it was true. She was a gentle and kind woman who did not need to stand out or call attention to herself. Rare were the moments when a cross word escaped her lips; she knew the power of kindness, and didn’t get excited or annoyed by much. She left a wonderful example to emulate, a strong but calm spirit full of a love of wisdom and kindness.
The Oakdale (Calif.) Leader
The Riverbank (Calif.) News
Nov. 8, 2023
