Ardell Perkes Call

Ardell Perkes Call
1908 ~ 2013
Our tenacious and courageous mother, grandmother, and great grandmother passed away peacefully at age 104 years and 8 months on February 14, 2013.
She was called "Great" by members of her family who will always remember her stamina, her generosity and her astonishing memory. Ardell was born June 13, 1908 in Salt Lake City, Utah to Olive Elizabeth Evans Perkes and William Adrian Perkes, and grew up in the Capitol Hill/Marmalade area with her sister Helen and twin brothers, William and Wallace. As a teenager, Ardell rode horses, played tennis, and loved going to Saltair on the Bamberger train. An active member of the LDS Church, she performed in Church Road Shows and played the piano and ukulele, also serving in many various Church callings. A graduate of West High School class of 1926, she entered the workforce. She met the love of her life, Chauncy Cyrus Call, at the University of Utah. They were married July 25, 1932 in Chicago, Illinois, later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple on November 21, 1941. They raised two children. Ardell was preceded in death by her husband, Chauncy Cyrus Call and two daughters-in-law, Carol Bjorndal Call and Janet Romney Call. She is survived by her son, Roger Wm. Call (Cheryl Forsberg Call) and daughter, Linda Call Smith (Ivan Weber) and 5 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, 7 step-grandchildren, 30 step-great grandchildren and 12 step-great great grandchildren.
She enjoyed a successful career as a research librarian with the Utah Education Association from 1955-1972. An accomplished seamstress and cook, many called her "the Candy Lady". In the 1960's, she became a chocolatier and dipped over one hundred pounds of chocolates each Christmas for friends and relatives. Ardell and Chauncy were members of the "Greatest Generation." Together they witnessed and endured the Depression and some of the worst of WWII and gracefully adapted to the challenges of the 20th century. They had many friends and loved to entertain, socialize and travel. Ardell was a remarkable woman. She loved to tell jokes or stories to anyone who would listen. At 104 years of age, she was our Hero. She impressed everyone with her infallible memory, her unique personality, her wit and her energy. A devoted companion, Ardell cherished her 65 years of marriage to her beloved Chauncy. There has not been a day since his death in 1997 that she has not mentioned how much she missed him.
A gathering for family and friends will be held on Wednesday, February 20, 2013 from 11-12:30pm at Larkin Mortuary, 260 E South Temple, Salt Lake City, Utah. Graveside services will be held at 2pm at the Brigham City Cemetery in Brigham City, Utah.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Emeritus Senior Living for their wonderful care. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a donation to your favorite charity.