Ardell Wilkie

1929 - 2022

Ardell Wilkie, 93, of Marysville, Kansas, passed peacefully in her sleep surrounded by family on Dec. 26, 2022, at Community Memorial Healthcare in Marysville. Ardell was born on March 31, 1929, in McCook, the daughter of Raymond and Jesse Mae (Ruppert) Walker. She attended Curtis Agricultural High School in Curtis. After high school, she taught grade school at a country school for one year. On Aug. 15, 1947, she married Mark Wilkie. In 1969, they moved to Marysville for a short time before moving to Hanover, Kansas, where she worked at the Pony Express Truck Stop and The Matador Steakhouse. In 1979, Ardell moved to Gibbon and worked at Baldwin Filters and the Gibbon Grocery Store until retiring. She returned to Marysville in the mid-90s and began working at Walmart until retiring in 2011. Ardell enjoyed playing cards, bingo, watching horse races, dancing, and geocaching (not in the summertime because of the snakes) with her son, Dallas. She was very social and was a 4-H leader and member of several clubs. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Mark Wilkie on Sept. 18, 1974; two grandsons, Michael Wilkie and Patrick Wilkie; son-in-law, Thomas Lesher; and two sisters and brothers-in-law, Veda and Loren Baxter and Ester and Lawrence Sellers. Survivors include her children, Russell (Carol) Wilkie of Broken Bow; Diane (Robert) Gleue of Bremen, Kansas, Dallas (Margaret) Wilkie of Wabash, Randy (Teresa) Wilkie of Havensville, Kansas, Debra Lesher of Fort Collins, Colorado, Devona (Steven) Marshall of Grand Island, Renee Olmsted, Fort Collins, and Royal (Erica) Wilkie of Santee, California; 28 grandchildren; 52 great-grandchildren; and many great-great-grandchildren. A memorial fund has been established for later designation. Contributions may be sent in care of Kinsley Mortuary, 1006 Broadway St, Marysville, KS 66508. Funeral service is at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 30, at St. John's Catholic Church, Hanover, with Father Joseph Kieffer officiating. The pallbearers will be Cory Wilkie, Ryan Gleue, Dustin Wilkie, Nile Wilkie, Jason Lesher, Nick Hines, Tony Olmsted and Brandon Wilkie. Burial will be at the church cemetery. Visitation is from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 29, at Kinsley Mortuary. A vigil service will follow at 7 p.m., Thursday at St. John's Catholic Church.