Ardella I. Jones

Ardella I. (Lichlyter) Jones, 98, of Evansville, IN, passed away on Wednesday, December 15, 2021 at North River Health Campus. She was born June 19, 1923 at her parents’ 100 acre farm near Huntingburg, IN.

Ardella attended the one room Maple Grove School and the Huntingburg Jr. High School. She was a member, secretary and news reporter for the Amiciata 4-H Club for four years. She graduated from the Otwell Indiana High School in 1940 where she competed a special course in Home Decorating. She was a basketball cheerleader and the school correspondence secretary. She attended the Better Homes and Gardens Designer classes with Mr. Karges of the Karges Furniture Company. She later graduated from the Chicago School of Interior Design with excellent grades.

She married Army Technical Sergeant, Maurice L. Jones in 1944. They were members of the First Christian Church of Evansville for 32 years. Ardella became the church historian and compiled the church history dating back from 1867 to 1986. She was their Activity Director for several years and taught third grade Sunday School classes for five years.

Ardella was a former member of the First Christian Church in Newburgh for 31 years. She then became a Charter Member of the Living Word Christian Church of Newburgh in 2015. She was a member of their Lifeway Bible Class, the Lady Jewels of Joy, the Encore Seniors, and the Widow Ladies.

She had been a volunteer news anchor for the WNIN Radio Reading Service for 22 years, broadcasting weekly to the visually impaired listeners. In 1969 she, along with four friends, drove to Carmi, IL weekly to volunteer their services at the Wabash Christian Retirement Center for three years. She also volunteered for the Evansville Rescue Mission. She loved the friendship of their ladies “Chat ‘n Chew” group. Their luncheon meetings which began in 1994 each week were memorable and fun for 26 years.

Ardella loved life to the fullest being a wife and mother. She loved all music, had a great sense of humor and many happy experiences over the years which included being a teen-age “candy girl” at Woolworths and a song leader of a small Baptist church at the age of 16. She had been an energetic saleslady for six years with the Learners of New York Ladies and Children’s Fashion Shop in downtown Evansville. She was often asked to plan church programs and special entertainment events. She was a Levi’s Brothers Company local representative and was privileged to visit their large New York Corporation. She belonged to R.S.V.P. and A.A.R.P. and glad to be involved with their volunteers. She was a poet and wrote over 100 meaningful poems about God, her family, class friends, and nature.

As Ardella grew older she became an eager reader of everything and solved two or more crossword puzzles every day. She also was an avid coloring book addict and a Prayer Warrior, which helped her age gracefully along with the love of her family.

She was preceded in death by her parents, James and Etta (Beebe) Lichlyter; husband, Maurice L. Jones of 50 years in 1994; three sisters; and two brothers.

Ardella is survived by son, Curtis D. Jones (Cindy); grandson, Cory Douglas Jones; nieces, Gayla Schriefer (Glen), Anne Lottes (Alan); and nephew, Gordon Hockmeister (Jean).

A Funeral Services will be held at Noon CST Wednesday, December 22, 2021, at Living Word Christian Church, 3888 IN-261, Newburgh, IN, officiated by Pastor Mike Claypool, with burial in Fairmount Cemetery in Huntingburg, IN. Friends may visit Wednesday from 10:00 a.m. CST until service time at the church.

Contributions may be made to the American Diabetes Association, 8604 Allisonville Road, Suite 140, Louisville, KY 40205 or the Living Word Christian Church Building Fund, 3888 IN-261, Newburgh, IN 47630.

Condolences may be offered at www.AlexanderEastChapel.com.