Ardyce J Blakeley

Funeral Services for Ardyce J. Blakeley will be held on Monday, February 26, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege, Nebraska with Pastor Daren Popple officiating. Burial will follow the service at in Fridhem Cemetery near Funk, Nebraska.

Ardyce Jeanette (Epping) Blakeley, 97 years of age, of Holdrege, passed away on Tuesday, February 20, 2018 at Holdrege Memorial Homes in Holdrege.  Ardyce was born November 29, 1920 in Funk, the youngest of twelve children born to Christopher Epping (Kristoffer Eppingen) and Tilda (Rodine) Epping.  She received her education in Phelps County, and graduated from Longfellow High School in Kearney, Nebraska with the class of 1938.

Ardyce, her brothers and her sisters would sit for many hours discussing their Norwegian and Swedish heritage which resulted in trips to the homeland to visit the places she had been told about while growing up. Five older brothers and six older sisters made for quite a few Eppings in this small Nebraska farming community. Ardyce was the youngest and spoke frequently about being the last of the Epping children.

On March 20, 1942, Ardyce was united in marriage to Bartlett LaRoy "Bart" Blakeley in Fort Wayne, Indiana.  To this union, two children were born: a son who died at birth, and a daughter, Marini Blanche.

The first half of Ardyce and Bart's married life was spent as a military family which included daughter, Marini. They lived and worked where the military assigned them. The last half of their lives were lived as civilians during their retirement years in Grandview, Missouri and Holdrege. In 1992, Ardyce and Bartlett returned to Nebraska.

Ardyce worked in the home maintaining the lives of her family and many pets. She was a fashionable lady who took pride during her later years, walking with her grandfather's cane which she had been given as a gift when visiting Norway.

As a child, Ardyce was baptized into the Lutheran faith. In 1979, she was re-baptized in the River Jordan when visiting Israel. Ardyce and Bartlett focused their lives, and perhaps their greatest accomplishment on studying the word of God, and serving their Savior Jesus Christ. Bartlett passed away on November 20, 2010.

Besides her parents and husband, Bartlett, she was preceded in death by; five brothers and wives:  Fred David Epping, Erick Howard Epping, Roy John (Alfreda) Epping; Erik Melvin (Beulah) Epping, and Ben William (Luella) Epping; six sisters:  Mae La Vada (Jared) Ekholm, Pearl Amanda (Eric) Collin, Ellen Emelia (Rueben) Johnson, Rose Dahlia (Dee) Haverty, Ruby Victoria Epping and Blanche Irene (John) Rose.

Ardyce leaves to celebrate her life; her daughter, Marini Blakeley of Holdrege; many nieces, nephews and cousins; along with extended family and many friends.

Visitation will be held on Sunday, February 25, 2018 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the Nelson-Bauer Funeral Home in Holdrege.

A memorial has been established in Ardyce's honor and kindly suggested to the Michael D. Evans Jerusalem Prayer Team International, P.O. Box 30000, Phoenix, Arizona 85046-0009.

Expressions of caring and kindness can be sent to the family at www.nelsonbauerfh.com .