Our beloved Ardis (Ardie) Kropidlowski, age 79, of Larsen, Wisconsin, passed away on January 4, 2025.

She was born in Shawano County in 1945 to Earl and Marion (Dickson) Dethardt. For most of her young life she lived on a farm in Nichols, WI where she attended the local grade school and Seymour High. She became a mother at a young age, later moving to California and eventually moving back to Wisconsin, settling in the Fox Valley area. She met her husband Bob at Fox Valley Technical College while earning her GED and worked alongside him at Appleton Boat Sales where she retired after 20 years.

What she loved most in the world was spending time with her husband Bob, her children, grandchildren and grand puppies. She was a very strong woman and pushed her way through many of life's adversities including raising 5 children. She had a deep love for all and was always there for whoever was in need. Her favorite pastimes were completing puzzle books, crocheting, and watching the many animals who visited right outside her window. She was an avid reader of well over 300 books, always signing her name noting it's completion. Ardie loved to dance and listen to many types of music, but polka and country & western were her favorites, especially when it was a live band. Growing up in our house she welcomed all of our friends, often being thought of as their second mother. Memories we all share of her are playing cribbage, with her pointing out when we miss counted, yearly camping trips with her daughter, hanging out on the deck up north, and boating and fishing with Bob. Ardie was famous for her refrigerator pickles and often shared her bounty from her prized garden. She will be deeply missed by everyone who loved her.

Ardie was proceeded in death by Earl Dethardt, father; Marion Dethardt, mother; Jerome and Jan Dethardt, brother and sister-in-law; Karen Dethardt, sister; Robert Dethardt, brother; Harold and Joyce Dickson, uncle and aunt; Vicki Auer, cousin; Jon Weiss, son-in-law; and grandson, Joshua Holzer. She is survived by her husband, Bob; her five children, Michell Kettner (Richard), Tami Holzer (Troy), Dianne Johnson (Rick), Kristine Biesenthal (Billy), and Terrance Clough; her 6 grandchildren, Jennifer and Christopher Springhetti; Carley Vandertie (Ryan); Hannah Wiegman; Lauren and Evan Johnson. She is also survived by her sister, Delores Heuer; two step-son, Robert Kropidlowski (Kim Rew); Michael Martin (Brenda Beard); her daughter-in-law April Hershman (Bill); her grandchildren, Makenzie Possley (Brett); Eric Kropidlowski. She had a special place in her heart for Jeanie and Rick Zimmerman, Shari Dickson, Mary Arft Zuleger, her cats, Kitty and Chubbers.

Funeral arrangements will be held at Brettschneider Funeral Chapel at 606 N. Oneida St., Appleton, WI. Visitation from 2:00 - 4:00 followed by a Service and then dinner. Ardie loved animals of every kind, so in lieu of flowers a donation to the local Fox Valley Humane Association, in her honor, would be greatly appreciated (foxvalleypets.org).

Thank you to all who cared for her on the fifth floor of ThedaCare Regional Medical Center- Appleton and the nurses at Cherry Meadows Hospice. The grace and compassion you gave to our mother was so meaningful and is so appreciated.