Ardis Townsend, 87, of Pierre, passed away Dec. 10, 2016.
Funeral services were Friday, Dec. 16, at 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church in Pierre, with visitiation one hour before the service. Interment followed at Riverside Cemetery in Pierre.
Ardis Townsend was born April 4, 1929, in Sioux Falls, to Peter and Pauline Ewert. When Ardis was almost three, the family moved to Mitchell and then Woonsocket, where Ardis attended all 12 grades. After high school, Ardis attended Huron College and went to Aberdeen to work at St. Luke’s and Associated Hospitals.
In August of 1951, Ardis married Robert Townsend in Huron. She began teaching third, fourth and fifth grades at Forestburg a few weeks later, while Bob completed his senior year at Huron College. In the following years, they lived in Hecla, Mitchell, Aberdeen, Bristol, Highmore and eventually, Pierre. Ardis worked for the South Dakota Education Association for seven years, and then in June of 1974, became director of Pierre Area Referral Service, where she worked for the next 20 years providing information, referral, legal aid and emergency assistance for the community. She retired in June of 1994.
Ardis was an active member of the First United Methodist Church, a long-time member of PEO, and loved birdwatching.
She is survived by her husband, Robert (Bob) of Pierre; two sons, Ronald (Deb) of Mitchell, and Robert (Kristin) of Pierre; sister, Virginia Towes of Billings, Mont.; six grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.
Ardis was preceded in death by her parents, Peter and Pauline Ewert; her sister, Ruth Lowe; and her in-laws, Lloyd and Delo Townsend.