Ardis Ronhaar, 85, went to be with her Lord and Savior Oct. 22, 2010 after an extended illness. She was born in Oak Harbor on Dec. 16, 1924, to Elmer Vogt and Ardis Lucille Ensminger Vogt.

Ardis attended schools in Oak Harbor through her junior year, graduating from Mount Vernon High School in 1944. She met John J. “Jim” Ronhaar when Ardie’s best friend, Jim’s sister Doris, brought her home in 1940. They started dating soon afterward, and were married a week after Jim’s return from combat in North Africa and Italy on Sept. 7, 1945. They have been faithful members of Oak Harbor’s First Reformed Church.

Ardie was a homemaker and seamstress until all of her children were in school. During her working career outside the home, Ardie was employed for 20 years with Everett Trust & Savings Bank, which eventually became Wells Fargo Bank. She worked in the same building for four different banks. In Ardie and Jim’s retirement years, they loved traveling and camping in their travel trailer, visiting family and friends all over. They also became very active members of Gideons International, with Ardie holding various offices in the Gideons Auxiliary.

Ardie’s first love was her family. She and Jim raised three wonderful children. Ardie is survived by her husband of 65 years; son James Lawrence “Larry” Ronhaar and his wife Phyllis Ronhaar of Walnut Creek, Calif.; daughter Carole Ronhaar Schork and husband John F. Schork of Sammamish, Wash.; son John Thomas Ronhaar and wife Lori Ronhaar of Friday Harbor; seven grandchildren, Susan Ronhaar, Jamie Ronhaar Schork-Morency and husband Marc Morency, John Ronhaar Schork, Tommy Ronhaar, Jake Ronhaar, Luke Ronhaar and Jimmy Ronhaar; as well as siblings Joanne “Joanie” Cheney, Elmer R. “Bob” Vogt, Jacque Eastman, and Jim’s big and loving extended family.

Visitation for Ardie will be Wednesday, Oct. 27 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Burley Funeral Chapel. A graveside service for family and close friends will take place at Maple Leaf Cemetery on Thursday, Oct. 28 at 1 p.m., followed by a memorial service at Oak Harbor’s First Reformed Church at 2 p.m. The family suggests that memorials be made to Gideon’s International or Oak Harbor’s First Reformed Church building fund. Arrangements were entrusted to Burley Funeral Chapel where family and friends may go online at www.burleyfuneralchapel.com to sign a guest register and leave memories for the family.