Ardelle M. Schiesel

Ardelle Margaret Schiesel, 75, a former Wisconsin resident, died Wednesday, August 3, 2005 at home with her daughter at her side after a year-long battle with cancer.The former Ardelle Weber was born November 19, 1929 to George and Emma (Asp) Weber in Marshfield, Wisconsin where she was educated and a member of St. John¹s Catholic Church. On May 28, 1949 she married Donald Schiesel in Marshfield and moved to Neillsville, Wisconsin where Don was partnered with his father, John Schiesel, proprietor of the Maytag Store. She assisted in the operation of Don¹s Record store while homemaking and later, briefly operated The Knitting Nook. She managed the office after the couple assumed full ownership of the store in 1964 and worked at the First National Bank for two years after the store was sold. In 1974 they left the snow behind and moved to Arizona. She was a member of St. Mary¹s Catholic Church in Neillsville, Wisconsin and St. Clements Catholic Church of Sun City, Arizona.In Arizona she worked at several locations within the old Arizona Bank system in Mesa and Scottsdale until her retirement in 1991, then worked part-time at Monheit CPA in Peoria, Arizona. Soon after she quit to assume care taking duties for her family; a mother with Alzheimer¹s, who lived with the couple from 1998 to 2000; her husband with heart disease who was also diagnosed with Parkinson¹s Disease in 1998; and her mother-in-law.Ardelle was a warm, creative, industrious, and a fun-loving person who constantly sought to learn new things. Once learned, she enjoyed teaching others her new-found skills. While in Neillsville, she sewed the majority of her own and her daughter¹s clothes and was rarely seen without her knitting needles. She became a certified knitting instructor teaching classes, belonged to bridge and knitting clubs, took art and upholstery classes, and enjoyed entertaining the couple¹s many good friends. In Arizona, she jumped into the computer age with both feet taking and eventually teaching computer classes through the Sun City Computer Cub where she also served as Secretary. When diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia in 1979, a non-life threatening heart arrhythmia she suffered with for years, Ardelle organized a support group for others with this ailment.In 1982, the couple built their dream house in the foothills near Wickenburg. As retirement loomed they returned to the valley and in 2000 moved into Royal Oaks, a Life Care Community, occupying an independent apartment. Ardelle immersed herself in Royal Oaks life with the enthusiasm of a college freshman participating in a wide variety of events and activities. She chaired the Food Committee, was a moderator for the local chapter of the New Horizons/60 Minutes groups, belonged to Computer Club, and coordinated Wisconsin Group parties. She served as editor of the Royal Oaks newsletter for only six months before becoming ill, a job she relished. In addition, she established a small clerical business providing assistance to Royal Oaks residents typing several interesting personal memoirs and designing many lovely cards and booklets and was Secretary/Treasurer of the Faustina Foundation that provides retirement homes for the Sisters of Notre Dame. Somehow she managed to find time to work on her autobiography. Although incomplete, her Wisconsin years were well documented. It seemed there was no one at Royal Oaks, resident or staff, whose name she didn¹t know or who didn¹t know her. She thoroughly enjoyed and cherished the friendships and associations she formed there.In addition to her husband, she is survived by a daughter, Judith of Madison, Wisconsin; mother-in-law, Laniece of Peoria, Arizona; sister-in-law, Diane (Daniel) Weber of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; three nephews: Patrick, Scott, Brian Weber and their families. She was preceded in death by her parents, father-in-law, an infant brother, and two infant sons. Another brother, Daniel, died in 1976. Ardelle will be missed by all who knew and loved her and she leaves close, dear friends from every locale and every phase of her life.A memorial mass will be held at 3:00 P.M. on Friday, September 2, 2005 at St. Clements of Rome Catholic Church in Sun City, Arizona. Later, a private committal service will be held at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona. A Celebration of Life will be held in Marshfield, Wisconsin at a later date.Memorials may be made in Ardelle¹s name to: Vista Care Hospice, 4800 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 5000, Scottsdale, Arizona 85251 or the Southeastern Arizona Bird Observatory, P.O. Box 5521, Bisbee, Arizona 85603-5521.Visit this person¹s Guest Book at www.dailynews-sun.com.