Ardith F. "Ardee" Swisher

Beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother, Ardith F. Swisher, 91, formerly of Kadoka, joined her husband and soulmate, Lowell (L.P.) Swisher in their heavenly home on August 13.

Ardith Fischer, called Ardee by those who knew and loved her, was born on August 8, 1931, to Esther and Vernor Fischer in Wakefield, Nebraska. She grew up with an older sister, Ruth; two younger sisters, Doris and Kathy; and one younger brother, Carl. She always spoke of her childhood fondly, and described her home as one filled with lots of love and laughter.

Small town Wakefield afforded Ardee memories and friendships she treasured her whole life. The daughter of a home economics teacher and grocery man/fireman, Ardee knew everyone in town and everyone knew her. She was active in school, church and social activities, and loved working at the downtown drugstore, mixing old-fashioned sodas when not "sniffing eggs" at Waldbaum Egg Factory, the foremost supplier of eggs in the U.S. during the 1940s, 50s and beyond.

It was fitting, therefore, that God would choose a small town boy from an adjoining state to become her husband and soulmate.  Ardee and a friend were walking from the University of South Dakota campus to their sorority house one fall afternoon in 1953 when two handsome medical students offered them a lift. Ardee was in a rush to get ready for a date that night, so they graciously accepted. Needless to say, her date for the evening got stood up; once Lowell and Ardee's eyes met, their fates were sealed.

They were engaged by Thanksgiving, planning a summer wedding. A month later, Ardee met L.P.'s Kadoka-area family over the Christmas holiday, and on their way back to Vermillion, the couple made the spontaneous decision to stop in Pierre and get married. They kept their elopement a secret for several months, and this romantic "leap of love" became a part of family lore forevermore.

Having finished her teaching degree, Ardee taught school for three years in Omaha while L.P. finished his medical training, and it was there that their son Paul was born. "We were poor but happy," she said of those years.

From there, they boarded a ship for Germany to complete L.P.'s three-year commission as a medical officer in the U.S. Army. Daughters Ann and Beth were born there, and Ardee was thrilled to experience European culture, making both military and civilian friends, having a live-in maid who cooked, cleaned and helped with the babies, and getting to travel all over Europe.

The Swisher family returned to Kadoka in 1961, when L.P. started his medical practice, and they completed their family with the birth of their son Pete. Ardee was an integral part of L.P.'s medical practice, answering thousands of phone calls and welcoming the sick, injured and broken on her doorstep at all hours of the day and night.

A stay-at-home mom, Ardee's life was her kids and their many school, sports, music, church and social activities. She taught Sunday School and led Bible study at Concordia Lutheran Church, served on the Kadoka school board and was elected to her church's national women's organization. After moving to Rapid City, she was a longtime member of the Rapid City Concert Association, volunteered at the Stav Kirke, and was active in her circle and quilting groups at Calvary Lutheran Church. She loved downhill skiing and skied at Terry Peak well into her seventies.

Ardee was the consummate wife, mother and homemaker. She collected cookbooks and loved challenging herself with new and different recipes. She was "family famous" for her French bread, Shepherd's pie, goulash and Christmas cookies. Ardee executed large family and holiday gatherings with unmatched effortlessness and flair, and everyone looked forward to her Christmas Eve smorgasbords.

A gifted seamstress, Ardee sewed many of her own clothes and those of her kids. She also sewed doll clothes, GI Joe and Barbie outfits, and Raggedy Ann and Andy dolls. Her daughters could show her elaborate prom dresses in fashion magazines and she could replicate them flawlessly. She even sewed formals for her granddaughters. Many of the costumes she sewed for school plays or Halloween costumes have made their way into her granddaughters' (and now great granddaughters') dress-up boxes.

A voracious reader, she amassed a huge library of hundreds of books on every topic imaginable over her lifetime. She was that rare breed of person who was both interesting and interested.

Then along came the grandchildren—Fifteen grandchildren in the course of 16 years: Megan (Kirby) Sand, Andrew (Ronda) Simmons, Jonathan (Virginia) Swisher, Leah (Dusty Bahnson) Simmons, Kaija Swisher, Laura (Brett) Manning, Brent (Terra) Swisher, Adam (Emilia) Simmons, Zachary Swisher, Annie (Kyle) Hibbs, Emily Palmer, Justine (Brock) Blankenship, Audri (Andy) Iverson, Abbie (Keaton Gruda) Palmer and Tim (Kristi) Palmer. Ardee made heirloom quilts for her grandchildren as babies and denim quilts for their high school graduations.

Each of Ardee's grandchildren enjoyed a special relationship with their "Gma," and would not accept Christmas as Christmas if it wasn't at her house. All 15 grandchildren lived nearby, and Ardee and L.P. rarely missed any of their school programs, concerts or sporting events.

Over the past 15 years, Ardee's life has been blessed with the addition of 20 great grandchildren: William Simmons, Jefferson Sand, Wyatt Simmons, Cora Sand, Bristol Simmons, Eva Swisher, Lowell Sand, Henry Swisher, Evelyn Simmons, Riann Blankenship, Lucille Swisher, Lillian Simmons, Isaac Bahson, Owen Blankenship, Addie Emery, Freddie Hibbs, Edith Iverson, Nelson Hibbs, Declan Blankenship and Hudson Swisher.

Without question, Ardee cherished her family most of all.

She is survived by her children: Paul (Mimi) Swisher, Ann (Mel) Henrichsen, Beth Swisher, and Pete (Karen) Swisher; sister, Kathy (Al) Hass; brother, Carl Fischer; her grandchildren and great grandchildren; and numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Lowell Swisher; her parents; and her sisters Ruth Hammel and Doris Bokemper.

The family plans a celebration of Ardee's life at a later date.