GARNER - Ardith L. Furness, 88, of Garner died Wednesday (December 1, 2010) at the IOOF Home in Mason City.
Funeral services will be held 10 A.M., Saturday at St. John's Lutheran Church, east of Garner with Rev. Carl Hedberg officiating. Burial will be in Ellington Prairie Cemetery.
Visitation will be held from 4 to 7 P.M., Friday at the Cataldo Funeral Chapel in Garner and will continue one hour prior to services at the church.
Ardith Lorraine Furness, the daughter of Conrad and Cora (Hall) Anderson, was born July 26, 1922 at Ventura. She was baptized and confirmed at Ellington Prairie Lutheran Church northeast of Garner. Ardith graduated from Ventura High School in 1940. On December 1, 1946 she was married to Edwin Furness at Ellington Prairie Lutheran Church. As members of Ellington Prairie Lutheran Church they were active as Luther League counselors. They farmed near Lake Mills until 1951 when they moved to the Anderson family farm northeast of Garner. In 1986 they retired from farming and moved into Garner. Ardith also worked at Winnebago Industries in Forest City from 1968 until her retirement in 1990. In 2006, she moved to Prairie View Apartments and in 2008 to Concord Care Center in Garner. In February of 2010 she became a resident of IOOF Home in Mason City. She enjoyed cooking, embroidering and driving her friends to church on Sunday. Her home was always open for people to have coffee and a little lunch.
She was a member of St. John's Lutheran Church where she taught Sunday school. She also belonged to the Fellowship Club, Ladies Aid, was a charter member of the Evening Guild and a volunteer for Meals on Wheels.
Ardith is survived by her four sons, Dennis (Karen) Furness of Story City, Donald (Janis) Furness of Pottsboro, TX, Ralph (Nancy) Furness of Sioux City and Roger Furness of Garner; nine grandchildren; sixteen great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Beverly Anderson of Ventura; and many nieces and nephews.
She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Ed, July 21, 2004; son, Marlin, Mar. 24, 1964; and four brothers, Nordahl, Grant, Leonard and Roy Anderson.
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