Ardis Ellis

Ardis Ilene Hickenlooper Ellis was born on December 18,1923 in Ogden, Utah and was raised during her early years in Pleasant View. She was the youngest child of Ray C. and Vera Jensen Hickenlooper. Her childhood was happy as she and her siblings: Clark Hickenlooper, Venna Larkin, Maxine Leavitt, and their cousins enjoyed the farms and fields of Pleasant View as their own personal playground.

Ardis met Don Frederick Ellis, the love of her life, while attending Weber High School. They were married on June 25,1944 while he served in the US Navy during World War II,  and they were later sealed in the Logan LDS Temple. They spent the first two years of married life in Hollister, California while Don continued his military service before returning home to Utah where they continued their abiding love affair for the next 69 years.

She saw her greatest calling in life as a mother, wife, and master homemaker. She crafted a home filled with love and saw her greatest accomplishment as her children, Brent D. Ellis, Sherry Ellis Ferrin, and Jana Ellis Jacobs, and welcomed her children's spouses, Tamra Moore Ellis and Tres Ferrin, with open arms.

On the family farm in Riverdale she worked hand in hand with her husband Don and by example taught her children that hard work is a virtue.

She blessed the lives of her ten grandchildren and 26 great-grandchildren, as well as her many nieces and nephews and had a special relationship with each of them and attended their games and special events.  Breakfast at Grandma's with cheese pancakes and Sunday dinner with prime rib and homemade dessert was always a special occasion for the family; she was a talented cook.

Ardis was a porcelain doll artist and made beautiful treasures for those she cared for. In return for her outward expression of love for family Don pampered her with beautiful gifts, jewelry, and clothes.

She and Don traveled extensively with their family and had the opportunity to visit Russia on three occasions, and they toured Europe and the east and west coasts of the US many times. Two of their favorite escapes during their later years were to Palm Springs, California and West Yellowstone, Montana.

Ardis was an active member of the LDS Church and had unwavering faith. She served in many callings and was the on Young Women's Stake Mutual Board for twelve years. She was a member of the Riverdale Ladies’ Club and served as the president and historian of the Pearl Child Camp of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. She was inspired by stories from her pioneer heritage and tried to uphold the dedication and faith that those ancestors recorded in their journals, which she found sacred.

As Ardis was preparing for her 90th birthday party in December, she fell and was injured. In spite of a strong will to live she was unable to survive the consequences of that fall and on the evening of January 29th, surrounded by her family, she peacefully passed away.

She is survived by her husband and children. She was preceded in death by her parents, brother and sisters and grandson Seth Ferrin.

Funeral services will be held Monday, February 3, 2014 at 2:00 pm at Lindquist's Ogden Mortuary, 3408 Washington Blvd. Friends may visit with the family from 12:00 to 1:45 p.m. prior to the services.

Interment, Lindquist's Washington Heights Memorial Park, 4500 Washington Blvd.