Ardyth Mae Wolfe

Ardyth was preceded in death by her parents Edwin and Emma Watermeier, her son John S. Wolfe, brothers Edwin and Delmar Watermeier, sisters Opal Litsey and LaVern Hanneman.

She is survived by her children Dick (Mary) Wolfe, Pennie (Doug) Harral), Linda Biskup, David Wolfe and Tom Wolfe. She is also survived by grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren.

Ardyth was born in Lincoln on February 19, 1930 on a farm at Van Dorn Road, 2 miles East College Street. (This in on the 66th & Van Dorn Area). She completed the family to Emma & Edwin consisting of five children, with a span of 18 years, between her & her first born, Alvin.

The first place she remembers, and vaguely, was a home at 11th & Saratoga Streets. Attending kindergarten at Saratoga School, she fondly remembers drinking tomato juice; the real reason why she liked to go. She also remembers playing in the sandbox that stood on legs. This was fun because she could play “in it” with just her hands. The family lived here until she was 6 years old. They soon moved to 804 west “C” Street, where she attended Willard Grade School, and Everett Junior High. This was a 3 mile walk from home and sure got cold in the winters. She went to Lincoln High & Completed 10th grade.(1944-45) Years later, in 1968, she proudly earned her GED!

She remembers her dad planting a lot of potato plants, and it was her job to walk the rows, & pick the potato bugs off & drop them in a can of kerosene. Her mom had a big garden she tended to, also. Ardyth’s favorite were the tomato plants. They used to pick “em & eat ‘em right out of the garden, they tasted so good, and much better than they taste today!

She remembers her folks raising lots of chickens, pigs, & a cow. She singled out one particular chicken as her pet, known as “Squat Down”. Whenever she went out in the yard, the chicken would squat down, so she could pick her up. Ardyth used to ride on the cow, known as “Old Pet”. She was a very gentle animal, but afraid of storms. When a storm came through, Old Pet like to go in the barn. The cow soon became a profit. Edwin had to sell her. As the story is remembered, during a storm, the new owner left her outside & she was struck by lightning!

Ardyth, only three years younger than Pinky, liked to tag along with him & his friends. She used to cry if she didn’t get to go. She knows the only reason they included her to go fishing & hunting was to carry the fish & rabbits. She recalls a time when she & Pinky and good friend, Rex Miller cooked sparrows over a fire outside. Their mom wouldn’t let ‘em cook ‘em in the house! Another memory included a big bull snake. One day she & Pinky walked to some friends about a mile away. They all killed a bull snake, which Pinky wanted to take home but was afraid to carry it. So as long as Ardyth was along, she could carry it.

After flinging it over a fence at Pinky, & just missing his head, her fun began! When they got home, she chased LaVerne all over the yard. She was so scared and she ran in the outhouse to hide. Ardyth locked her in. When she got out, SHE locked Ardyth in! When Ardyth got out, she picked up a stick & hit LaVerne on the head. What about the bull snake? Well, it got nailed to the chicken house.

Three weeks before her 10th birthday, her mom died. For the most part now, she was expected to do kitchen duty for her dad & Pinky. One day she was cooking beans for supper, but preferred to be playing basketball with Pinky & his friends. Needless to say, the beans burned & she got spanked by her dad.

Three years later, August, 1943, her dad died. Bill & LaVerne took her & Pinky into their care. Then months later, June 1994, Bill left for active duty in WWII. So LaVerne had the responsibility for their family of Kenny, 3 ½ years old & Connie a baby and now her younger brother & sister. Pinky was 16 and Ardyth was 13.

Now at 14 years ok, she had her first job. She worked for Beatrice Creamery, breaking eggs for the soldiers. At this young age, she also learned to dance at King’s Ballroom & PlaMor. This is her favorite thing to do yet today!

In August of 1945, at 15 years old, she made the decision to quit school & go to California with Opal & George. George was stationed her while in the service. Ardyth’s stay was short, & she soon found her way back home at the advice of LaVerne & Pinky. The train ride home was quite an adventure. It was filled with soldiers! When she arrived home, LaVerne had a 1-room apartment waiting for her. It was from this time on, Ardyth entered the “working world’. She started at Klein’s Bakery making $15.00 a week.

Shen took a temporary job at Black & White Cab, until she got on at Elgin Watch Co. (February 1947). She had a lot of fun with the girlfriends she met here. They spent afternoons at Pioneer’s Park.

On July 13, 1948, she married Dick. The ceremony was at the courthouse and there was no honeymoon, as Dick didn’t have a job AND Ardyth had to work. They lived on romance in a 1-room apartment at 27th and Vine Streets. Two months later in September, they moved to Elgin, Illinois, where she continued to work for Elgin. They came back to Lincoln 6 months later to have their first born, Dickie. She soon went back to work at Elgin and continued there until July of ’55 taking off 6 weeks each time she had a baby. She still recalls her time clock num “872”.

Ardyth & Dick had a family of six children together during the years of 1949 to 1958. Dick & Ardyth divorced in 1977 after 29 ½ years of marriage.

Ardyth took some time off from outside work, but continued to work at home babysitting, from 1955 through 1959 until John was a year old. Then she went to work at Beechner’s Grocery Store. From there, she worked at Safeway, September of ’62 to April of ’63. She then found herself at Hinky Dinky checking groceries for the first year, and moving up to Home Center Manager. She stayed here for 23 years, and gave notice in February ’85. At 58 years & soul supporter, she continued to work. She make the ladies of Lincoln beautiful, while working behind the cosmetics counter. She retired after 11 ½ years. At 69 years, she continued to work for Dick at Wolfe Electric and Zesto for David.

She met George Pierce at PlaMor. Thy started going seriously together on December 16, 1988. They have been special friends to each other ever since. George & Ardyth had 25 years together. They traveled and enjoyed going to music jams together. Dancing and some gambling. George passed away on July 17, 2017.

Visitation will be held at Grace Lutheran Church, 2225 Washington Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, on July 13, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, followed by the Funeral Service at Grace Lutheran Church at 11:00 am.