Ardis Van Wychen

Ardis Van Wychen March 24, 1922 - September 22, 2013

Ardis Van Wychen, age 91 of Faribault, passed away Sunday, September 22, 2013 at her daughter''s home following an extended illness.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, September 27, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. at the Divine Mercy Catholic Church, 139 Mercy Drive, Faribault. Interment will be at the St. Lawrence Cemetery in Faribault.

Visitation will be held at the Parker Kohl Funeral Home & Crematory in Faribault on Thursday from 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. and on Friday for one hour prior to the services at the church.

The family prefers that memorials be directed to River Bend Nature Center or Bethlehem Academy High School in memory of Ardis.

Ardis Winifred Hemenway, the daughter of Benjamin and Hazel (Cowell) Hemenway, was born on March 24, 1922 in Castle Rock, MN. Ardis attended school in New Richmond, WI and graduated with the class of 1940. On July 4, 1942 she was united in marriage to William A. Van Wychen at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Faribault, MN. Bill was serving in the U.S. Army when they were married so his service time took them to different U.S. Army Bases in the United States and Internationally including; La Porte, IN, Gulfport, MS, Yucca, AZ, Mount Home, ID, Tonopah, NV, Fort Worth, TX, Okinawa, Japan, Atlanta, GA and Yokohama, Japan. In between their Army assignments they made Faribault their home and in 1960 became their permanent residence. They would later divorce. Ardis was an independent seamstress well into her 80''s. She worked in the Fabric Department and as the Bridal Manager at Och''s Department Store from 1972 to 1982. In 1982 Ardis began working at JoAnn Fabric until her retirement. Ardis was a parishioner at Immaculate Conception, St. Lawrence, Sacred Heart and Divine Mercy Catholic Church''s. She was active at St. Lawrence and Sacred Heart as a Befriender and as a member of the charity craft group, a funeral lunch volunteer and as a collection counter. She was an avid mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She loved cats, gardening, sewing, sports

including, Faribault Softball, Minnesota Vikings and Twins (and some Michigan sports teams), politics, music, camping, hiking, travel especially to England and Australia and all things Irish.

She is survived by her five daughters, Stephanie (Lee) Redman of Bloomfield, MI and their children and families, Mark (Rachel) Redman, and Sam, Grace and Hannah of West Bloomfield, MI and Laura Redman of Royal Oak, MI; Sarah (Warren) Babcock of Faribault, MN and their children and families, Chris (Kim) Babcock, and Ethan of Waseca, MN, Aaron (Marissa) Babcock, and Joslyn of Faribault, MN, Ben Babcock of Faribault, MN, Elizabeth Babcock, and Aiden and Kyler of Faribault, MN and Joe Babcock and fianc Maddie Kaye of Faribault, MN; Martha (Mike) Swedin of Northfield, MN and their children and families, Tiffany (Chad) Stanton, and Reese of Savage, MN, Jacob Wolters and fianc Jess Morgan of Faribault, MN and Samantha Swedin of Faribault, MN; Nancy (Bernie) Hollinger of Northfield, MN and their children, Alex Hollinger of Rochester, MN and Matt Hollinger of Fremont, NE; Lisa Hemenway of Northfield, MN and her children and families, Crystal (Travis) Hollingsworth, and Ethan of Faribault, MN and Kurtis (Christie) Gare, and Adelyn of Tulsa, OK; by grandchildren, Tim (Stacy) Van Wychen, and Sean and Noah of Lake Elmo, MN and Kelly Van Wychen; by her brother, Alvin (Ethel) Hemenway of Medina, MN and by many nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Hazel and Ben Hemenway, former husband William A. Van Wychen, infant son Francis Van Wychen, son William A. Van Wychen Jr. and by her sister Marie Stapf.