Ardell Rodke

Ardell Rodke, cherished wife, mother, grandmother, aunt and friend, went home to her beloved Lord and Savior on August 23, 2011, at St. Mary's Hospital, Rochester, MN, surrounded by her family after a 7 year courageous battle with cancer.Ardell Ann was born October 10, 1937, to Adolph and Alma Hovelson Bjorndahl. After graduating from Hawley High School in 1955, Ardell worked for the Northwestern Bell Telephone Company as an operator until 1959. On October 4, 1958, she was united in marriage to Kermit Rodke at Hegland Church, rural Hawley. In 1960, they moved to Kermit's family farm. Together they had three children: Debbie, Steve and Sheri.Ardell and Kermit loved to spend time together, travel in the winters, and visit with family and friends. She loved doing crossword puzzles, playing cards and Dominos, and attending grandchildren events. Ardell and Kermit were a true team, working together on the farm, facing life's difficulties together and enjoying all the good that life gave them.Family was first and foremost in Ardell's life. Ardell was known for her exceptional cooking. Her home was a regular place of pilgrimage for family holidays, to which everyone looked forward with eager anticipation. Laughter was always abundant. Her grandchildren were the apple of her eye and they always found a way to go to Grandma's house.Ardell leaves behind her legacy of music. She was blessed with the gift of music and the ability to "play-by-ear". She was very active at Hegland Lutheran Church, serving as organist for over 55 years.Ardell was a woman who truly loved God, loved life and loved the people who shared it with her. She will be greatly missed and remembered with love and gratitude, always. The scripture, Matthew 25 aptly describes her life, "well done, good and faithful servant". Ardell is survived by her husband, Kermit; son, Steve Mickie Rodke of Hawley, MN; daughters, Debbie Randy Freed of Hawley, MN, and Sheri Brian Weninger Sponsler of Thompson, ND; grandchildren: Tara Aaron Anderson, Tracy Freed, Erica Sponsler, Kevin Sponsler and Whitney Sponsler; step-grandchildren, Larry Kelly Larson and Tom Jen Larson; step-great-grandchildren, Katie and Ella Larson; brother-in-law, Wally Erickson of Fargo, ND; and sister-in-law, Arla Bjorndahl of Kingman, AZ.She was preceded in death by her parents; grandsons, Tyler and Travis Freed; siblings, Jewell Erickson, Norman and Allan Bjorndahl, and Dagney Flynn.