Ardith Hansen

Ardith Hansen, 81, of Richland Center died on Sunday, March 15, 2025, at Schmitt Woodland Hills.

I was born to loving parents, Ardie & Marion Schaffert on June 17th, 1944 in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Also born to this marriage were my loving sisters Connie & Annette, & my brother Jim.

In November of 1953 we moved to Wisconsin on a farm near Bloom City. I attended West Lima High School & the highlight of my senior year I participated in the Alice in Dairyland Competition & was voted runner up.

I worked for a number of years in Madison for the State of Wisconsin in a variety of jobs. In 1967, I came back to Richland Center & attend the University of Wisconsin Richland Campus where I studied for two years & then transferred to the University of Wisconsin, Platteville. My major was Social Work. My senior year at Platteville I participated in an International Studies Program. The Professor was from Russia. I was privileged to go on an international trip to Russia, Poland, Lithuania, & Czechoslovakia – a wonderful three week trip.

In April of 1971, I met my loving husband Carl when we both stood up in Don and Annette Clark's wedding. I knew then that if I were to marry it would be to him. I was impressed by his kindness, love of his parents & sister. He loved animals as I did also. I didn't see him again until the summer after I graduated from U.W. Platteville in August of that year.

In January of 1972, I became a social worker for Richland County where I was employed for 35 years. Carl & I were engaged in February of 1972 on Valentine's Day. We were married in October of 1972. These were the best years of my life. Carl was a very loving kind person whose faith was very important to him. Five Points Lutheran Church was very special to us & during our marriage we had many cats & dogs & we truly loved them. We also did a lot of traveling. There were only four states in the United States that we did not get to. One year we won a trip to Aruba. Our marriage lasted until the day he died in October of 2025.

Survivors include sisters Connie (Leonard) Frye, Annette (Don) Clark, loving sister's in law Irma Miller, Nancy Schaffert, a number of nieces & nephews, great nieces & great nephews, a number of loving cousins, special church friends, friends at Schmitt Woodland Hills, & a host of special friends from the community (Dorsey Ames). Special thanks to the Schmitt Woodland Hills staff for the exceptional care & attention given me over the years.

Ardith was preceded in death husband Carl, parents Ardie and Marion, brother Jim, great niece Rebekah Schaffert & a number of aunts, uncles, cousins, & special friends.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 11:00 AM at the Pratt Memorial Chapel with burial to follow in the Richland Center Cemetery. A livestream of the service will be available at the Pratt Funeral and Cremation Service website. Visitation will be held on Saturday, March 21, 2026, at the Pratt Memorial Chapel from 9:30 AM until the time of the service at 11:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, memorials can be directed to Five Points Lutheran Church, Schmitt Woodland Hills, & Richland County OMHS. The Pratt Funeral and Cremation Service is assisting the family with their arrangements.