Ardes Slagle

    A celebration of life services will be held on Friday January 13, 2017 at 10:30 AM at the United Methodist Church in Broken Bow with Pastor Todd Karges and Pastor Don Schauda officiating.  Burial services will be in the Gates Cemetery at Gates, NE.  Visitation will be held on Thursday January 12, 9:00AM to 8:00 PM, with the family greeting friends 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Govier Brothers Mortuary.  Memorials are suggested to the Sargent Scholarship Fund, the Broken Bow United Methodist Church or the Gates Community Building Fund.   Ardes Arlene Slagle passed away Tuesday, January 10th at Melham Medical Center in Broken Bow at the age of 84.   Ardes was born to Robert Harold and Elda Leone (Gates) Huffman at Milburn, Nebraska on August 22, 1932.   Ardes grew up in the Sandhills, living her early years in her Grandpa Huffman's homestead soddy, attending country school in Blaine County, at Gates and then graduating from Sargent High School in 1949.   Ardes married Paul Slagle on April 26, 1950 in the Free Methodist parsonage in Sargent. Two children were born to this union: Dan Bruce and Tim Kevin. And as she often said, she got her two daughters when her sons married: Beth and Sheree.   Ardes and Paul made their home in the Middle Loup valley west of Sargent, first living in the Walworth community. She was baptized at the Walworth Methodist Church while attending there. She attended church at the Sargent Ev. Free Church for many years. They bought their first farm in the West Union community and then purchased their final farm home west of there several years later.   Ardes was an involved mother, partner in her family's farm business, and active in many community and church activities. After Paul's discharge from the Army, they kept in touch with a group of his fellow soldiers over the years. Many memories were made with those friends and they were often mentioned in her conversations. Her clubs included the West Union Club, Milburn Willing Workers,Friendly Neighbors and the Middle Loupers Extension Clubs and serving on the Custer County Home Extension Board. She and Paul were 4-H leaders for 18 years. She was secretary of the Milburn Alumni and taught Bible school at Walworth and Sargent Methodist churches. She and Paul loved to square dance and attended many dances with the Pressey Promenaders, Wagon Wheeler and Prairie Promenaders Square Dance clubs. Hard times hit agriculture in the 1980's and while dealing with their own financial struggles, she and Paul became involved with and served at the Prairie Pantry Food Bank in Taylor helping families in the Taylor and Sargent area. She also sold Cameo Fabric paints and held many classes sharing her love of color and art with others. She enjoyed painting and crafting a variety of items. Who doesn't have a “Dime”and Pin that Ardes made?   She worked at the Sale Barn Cafe in Sargent (ran by her parents Harold and Elda) for many years and then worked at the Tumbleweed Cafe as a cook for 11 years. After Paul's death in 1999, she continued living on the farm and managing it and was proud that she paid if off. She also worked at Custer Care in Broken Bow cooking for 11 years until 2014. She moved to Broken Bow in 2012 and attended the Methodist Church, becoming active in the ladies guild and several Bible studies. She enjoyed “coffee-ing with friends, researching and sharing family history, reading, playing Rummikub and sharing meals with her special friends: Opal, Alice and Paula. Ardes never knew a stranger, and if she didn't know you when she met you, she would by the time you said goodbye.   Ardes was preceded in death by her parents, her beloved husband Paul and her son Dan.   Those who will be missing her are her son Tim and wife Sheree and their children: Travis and wife Michelle and children Ansel, Siena, Asher and Luca of Clemmons,North Carolina; Alissa of Broken Bow; Seth and wife Julia and son Rowan of Omaha; Brenna and Quinn. Daughter in law Beth Slagle and children Kayla and husband Derek Spence and children Kenson, Conleigh, Zeke and Malachi of Crete; and Jared of Callaway. One sister, Eyvonne and husband Gene Smith of Kearney; brother and sister in law Lee and Shirley Slagle of Kearney, Hugh and Joyce Strong of Colorado and sister in law Millie Slagle of Colorado; many cousins, nieces and nephews, as well as a host of friends.