Ardie Redder

Ardie Redder, 87, of Fort Collins, Colorado passed away on January 5, 2011 after a brief but valiant battle with pancreatic cancer. She was born August 10, 1923 to Leo and Teresa Hentges in Porter, Minnesota. Since 1961, Ardie has resided mostly in Fort Collins with her loving husband of 62 years, Lester, who survives her. She is also survived by their children -- Jim (and Judy) Redder of Portland, Oregon, Terri (and Mike) Bryant of Thornton, Colorado, Tom (and DeAnne) Redder of Fort Collins, Bonnie (and Ray) Kemp of Fort Collins, Greg Redder of Fort Collins, surrogate son, Bill Bertschy, of Fort Collins, as well as by 11 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, and her brother and three sisters -- Ralph Hentges of Canby, Minnesota, Florence Sommerer of Canby, Minnesota, Bonnie Genzlinger of Edina, Minnesota, and Ownie Dunn of Webster, Wisconsin. Ardie was preceded in death by her beloved 19 year-old son, Bob, who had died in a tragic drowning accident up Poudre Canyon in 1971. Ardie grew up in Canby, Minnesota and in 1941, as an accomplished pianist and organist, was graduated from Canby High School, where she had met Lester, her future husband. She then entered Nursing School at Saint Mary's Hospital in Minneapolis and, upon receiving her R.N. degree in 1944, enlisted in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. She was immediately sent for training to what was then Camp Carson in Colorado Springs, where she developed a lifelong love affair with the mountain splendor of Colorado and its Front Range. During World War II, Ardie was deployed to the American Pacific Theatre where she waded ashore with the U.S. Army's 311th General Hospital as part of the return of U.S. and Allied Forces to the Philippines for the Battle of Luzon and liberation of the Philippines from Japanese occupation. When the War finally ended in 1946, Ardie was separated from active duty as a 2nd Lieutenant with a Bronze Battle Star and Victory Medal. After the War, Ardie returned to Minneapolis, resumed work as a surgical nurse at St. Mary's Hospital, and married Lester who, by now, had also returned from the War and was enrolled as a veterinary student at the University of Minnesota. Upon Lester's graduation from Veterinary School, Ardie and Lester lived briefly in both Springfield and Canby, Minnesota before moving to Fort Collins in 1961 where, except for brief periods for Lester's veterinary work in Little Falls, Minnesota and Salt Lake City, Utah, they have resided ever since. Although Ardie primarily worked as a committed housewife and loving mother to her six children, she was passionately dedicated to the nursing profession and often worked in doctor's offices, hospitals, and blood-banks throughout her blessed life. A Rosary Vigil will be held for Ardie at 7pm on Tuesday, January 11, at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 200 West Mountain Avenue in Fort Collins, and a Mass of the Resurrection at 9:30am on Wednesday, January 12, immediately followed by Military Honors in front of the church, as well as by a luncheon reception in St. Joseph Church Hall in the basement of the church. Contributions may be made in Ardie's memory to the Oblate Missions, 323 Oblate Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78216 ( www.oblatemissions.org ).