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.

June Shefner, 74, of rural Plankinton, died Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016, at the Sanford Medical Center in Sioux Falls.
Funeral services will be 2 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 22, at the Storla Lutheran Church in Storla. Visitation was Wednesday, Dec. 21, from 5-7 p.m. at the Basham Funeral Home in Wessington Springs.
June was born Feb. 14, 1942, in Alpena to Warren and Ida (Cunningham) Kelsey. She graduated from Wessington Springs High School in 1960.
She was united in marriage to Dina Shefner on June 30, 1963, in Lane. They were married 53 years. She was a full-time housewife and enjoyed sewing, craft fairs, puzzles, birthday club and spending time with all her grandchildren.
June is survived by her husband, Dina (Pudge); two daughters, Rhonda (Jerry Lilleskov) DeVaney of Madison, and Sandy (Dale) Wolfcale of Wessington Springs; siblings, Joyce Kirsch of Hillsboro, Ore., Janet (Bill) Pruitt of Southerland, Ore., Jimmy Kelsey of Wessington, and Jeff (Karen) Kelsey of Alpena; sister-in-law, Peggy (Clifford) Tibbs of Mission Ridge; five grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and many cousins, nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Joe Kelsey; granddaughter, Cassandra Marie DeVaney; and in-laws, Orlin and Viola Shefner.