Ardelle Thelma Merritt

Ardelle passed peacefully on January 8th, 2025, of natural causes. She celebrated her 90th birthday on November 30th with family, whom she shared her last twenty years in Corvallis, Oregon. Ardelle was born in La Crosse, Wisconsin. Her mother Thelma and father Andrew Urness were part of the Norwegian farming settlements in Wisconsin, yet they moved often when Ardelle was young, to New York, Texas, Chicago, and finally in California, for her father’s engineering career and eventually her mother's nursing career. She went to a Lutheran parochial school in Culver City, where she fondly sang tenor in the choir. Ardelle mentioned often her love of the warm and sunny California beaches, especially of a cherished memory about her ability to take a bus for a dime, by herself, to spend hours and hours meeting with friends and getting a tan at Venice beach. Somedays she would spend her saved up babysitting money to get a coke at the malt shop or go to drive-in movies with friends. Ardelle enjoyed collecting movie stars’ autographs at MCM on the way home from School and buying non-mainstream jazz and blues vinyl records at a Santa Monica record shop. Shortly after high school, she worked at a flower shop, met and married Bob Merritt and then became a full-time mom of three boys... all who were born within three years during the mid-1950’s. Once the boys got into high school in the San Jose area, Ardelle went to college, received her B.A. from San Jose State University and then went on to complete graduate school. She worked for mental health agencies, got divorced and eventually moved to San Franscico where she got more advanced training and went into private practice for over 25 years. She treasured living in a beautiful historic waterfront area apartment in San Fransico, going to theater with friends, and welcoming family to share in the sites and bites she loved. Ardelle studied French and traveled to France twice, as well as going on other international trips, including a trip to her family’s homeland of Norway. Ardelle retired in 2005, bought a house and moved to Corvallis, Oregon. She cherished being a grandmother, was an avid volunteer for COBRA assisting seniors with health plans, was active within the Grace Lutheran Church, enjoyed walking her dog daily, and tended a garden plot at the Starker Arts Park community garden with her son Tom.

Ardelle was predeceased by her parents, Thelma and Andrew Urness, her brother David Urness, and her grandson Bryan Merritt.

Ardelle is survived by her sister Sue Urness; her three sons and daughter in laws: Jim and Jo Merritt of Colorado Springs, Colorado, Bill Merritt and Jenny Griffin of Cupertino, California and Tom and Traci Merritt of Corvallis, Oregon; and her grandchildren Jeff Merritt, Benjamin Merritt and Karl Merritt.

A celebration of life brunch-gathering for family and friends’ will be held January 17th 2025, 10:00-2:00 in Corvallis, Oregon.