Dr. Ardie Ivie Jr.

Ivie, Jr., Dr. Ardie
(1945-2005) On June 18, 1945 in Fort Worth, Texas, Ardie Ivie, Jr. was the first of four children born to Mable and Ardie Ivie, Sr. Ardie confessed Christ at an early age and was baptized at the Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church in Fort Worth. In 1956 his family moved to Los Angeles, California where he joined Bethany Missionary Baptist Church under the pastorate of his uncle, the late Reverend William H. Wofford. He sang in the youth and young adult choirs for many years. Ardie had a powerful craving for direct, personal, unmediated experience. He insisted that he be allowed to strive for an original relation to the universe, not a novel relation, just his own. That led him to be a pioneer in nearly all that he did in his life. Ardie graduated from Fremont High School in 1963 and was admitted to the University of California at Los Angeles. His example of pursuing higher education motivated his three younger siblings to follow him to UCLA. Upon graduation from UCLA, Ardie became one of the first minority fellows to the American Film Institute. He also attended the Columbia University Program for Minority Journalists, the UCLA Anderson School of Management in an extended MBA program and in 1999 earned his Ed.D degree in educational management from UCLA. Dr. Ardie Ivie, Jr. worked in print and television journalism for King Broadcasting in Seattle, KNET, NBC in New York and KCET in both Los Angeles and New York. At the time of his passing, he was working for the Office of the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs at UCLA, the Mathematics, Engineering and Science Achievement Program, and the University of California Office of the President, Education Outreach. He was the Director of the Nissan Summer Institute, which produced programs for the Historically Black Colleges and Universities for nine consecutive summers. On February 15, 2005 Ardie received the President's Award from the UCLA Black Alumni Association. Over 30 years ago, Ardie met and married the love of his life, Sylvia Drew. As a happily married couple, they had two wonderful children, Leslie and Drew. Ardie was a devoted husband to his wife Sylvia and devoted father to his children, eldest daughter Amani Ivie, daughter Leslie, and son Drew. Ardie's prayer to God was never, "Why me Lord", but "Please let me do something good for my family and others each and every day that I am strong enough to do so." On March 18, 2005 God sent His Angel to bring Ardie home. Ardie was surrounded by his loved ones. He leaves to cherish his memory: his loving wife Sylvia Drew Ivie, his daughters Amani Ivie and Leslie Ivie, his son Drew Ardie Ivie, his mother Mable Pledger, (his father preceded him in death), his sisters Judy Ivie Burton Ramirez and Tamanika Ivie, his brother Rickey Ivie (Eloise), a host of uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews, cousins, and many caring friends. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be sent to the UCLA Black Alumni Association Scholarship Program, P. O. Box 83422 Los Angeles, CA 90083.