Ardelle Vaira was born on February 10, 1925 in Richey, MT to parents Celia (Olson) and Wilbur Gibson. At age 1 she and her family moved to Indiana. She had many fond memories of her time there playing with friends in the woods, swimming in the lake and enjoying all the different trees and flowers that she loved, even as a child. In 1935, her family moved back to Richey where she attended school and graduated in 1944. Ardelle worked at the Richey Meat Market and was a waitress at her families cafe, The Gibson Cafe, in Richey
One day Ardelle was selling poppies for the Veteran's and a handsome man, Paul Vaira, came by and offered her one dollar for a poppy. She gave him a poppy and later, her hand in marriage, on August 12, 1950. Paul and Ardelle made their home at Spring Lake for almost 60 years where they farmed, ranched and raised their family. They moved to Sidney, and in July of 2015, Ardelle moved to the Sidney Extended Care where she has lived since.
Ardelle was an artist and loved to paint pictures. At age 60, she took classes after which she painted pictures that now hang in the homes of many of her family and friends. She also cut and fixed hair for many of the neighbor ladies in her home. Ardelle loved dogs, horses and animals of any kind and was always on the lookout for a special pet for one of her grandchildren. She loved to garden and to work in her yard. Her special joy, though, were her grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved to have them around her, and she spent many hours faithfully following them in all of their many activities.
Ardelle attended the First Lutheran Church in Lambert, WIFE, Mona Homemakers, and the American Legion Auxiliary. She served on the board of the Matthew House in Sidney.
Ardelle died Saturday afternoon, May 14, 2016 at the Sidney Health Center Extended Care Facility.
Survivors include: her husband, Paul, Lambert, MT; her sons, Collin (Cheryl) Vaira, Lambert, MT, Tim (Jean) Vaira, Billings, MT, Kelly (Jen) Vaira, Lambert, MT and Pat Vaira of Savage, MT; her sister, Wanda (Alan) Tofte, Sidney, MT; her 10 grandchildren, Anthony (Sara) Vaira, Thomas Vaira, Sean Vaira, Gillette Vaira, Rochelle (Nick) Griffin, Chase Vaira, Kyle Vaira, Amy (Greg) Loder, Angela Vaira, and Michael Vaira; her 8 great-grandchildren and one coming in June; numerous nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her brothers Wallace and Julian, and an infant brother.