She was the youngest daughter of Sheldon and Ann Colegrove, born in Omaha Nebraska in 1933. Ardie was full of energy and a go getter, she wanted to go to college and she did. When she saw a boy she was interested in, she asked a friend to introduce them and they became an item shortly after. Ardie graduated from Oregon State University in 1955 and married the boy she was interested in a few months later. They were together for 64+ years, until Jerry passed in April 2020.
Ardie lived abroad with her husband Jerry (when he was in the army). They met amazing lifelong friends and she found her first, of three, beagles in Germany. Charlie Brown number one was her first child. She loved her beagles and cats and they were a part of her family.
Ardie was proud to have two “chosen” children. Her son Eric and daughter Katrina. She would often talk about how she got to pick out her two kids and spoke kindly of the bio parents’. One thing Ardie wanted to do was to have the chance to thank a bio mom for giving her a daughter or son and later enjoyed doing just that.
Ardie was a Cub Scout coleader for Eric and she put her college skills to good use as a Bluebird leader to her daughter and other girls in the neighborhood. She was a room mother many years for either Eric or Katrina. A story she told about her kids was one year she was a room mother for Eric and Eric was upset she was the room mother and Katrina cried because she wasn’t. The life of a mom isn’t always smooth.
Ardie had two careers and made more amazing friends. When she retired from her first career, she started her next adventure as a sub secretary for Portland Public Schools. She loved to move around meeting new people and helping out in different offices and experiences.
Ardie had three grandchildren.
When talking to friends about her, often I’d hear she was a great cook, baker and her house was immaculate. As her daughter I agree. We lived in a small house but everything had a place and she remembered where everything was, before Alzheimer’s. Mom was a hostess for the mostess and very talented cook, baker and seamstress. Her sweet rolls were sought after, she even would sale them for a great cause or organization. People would ask her often when she was going to bake some more.
She enjoyed traveling and had many vacations and trips. Before retirement she called traveling “vacations” and after retirement they were called “trips”. Ardie made friends where ever she was.
She lived until 87 years young, even doing little dances for her amazing caregivers at Cherry Park Plaza and one time for her son too. All they needed to do was turn on the music and she was ready to do her shoulder shimmy dance. She was loved by all who knew her at Cherry Park Plaza.
Mom will be missed, by her family and friends. I am proud to call Ardie my Mom and have the privilege of having her become one of my besties in adulthood.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.finleysunsethills.com for the Davis family.
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