Ardeth Lorraine Strand, 95, Minot, died Sunday, January 20, 2019, in her home.

Ardeth was born on March 3, 1923 in New Prairie Township, rural Norwich to Andrew and Agnes C. (Abrahamson) Strand. She was raised and educated in Surrey through the eighth grade at Grassland District rural schools. Her family moved to Minot and she later graduated from Minot High in 1940.

After graduation Ardeth attended Minot Teacher's College for three years. Then she trained at a school in Chicago for air traffic controllers where she earned her certification in that field. Once certified Ardeth was employed in Dickinson for 4-5 months. She then moved to Minot and was employed at the Minot International Airport for 29 years, until her retirement in 1971. Later that same year she returned to the Minot Airport on a part-time basis.

Ardeth was a member of Bethany Lutheran Church. She served as Secretary of the ND Bridge Association and achieved the status of Life Master.  She also served as President of the ND Bowling Association and is honored in the Minot and ND Bowling Hall of Fame.  Ardeth was an accomplished pilot.  She first soloed in 1947.  She and her brother, Bernard, co-owned their own plane.  Ardeth and her friends, Carol Baney and Eleanor Pietsch, published "Under Their Wings," a history of the Minot International Airport from 1928 to 1978.

Ardeth had beautiful flower gardens both at home and at her Lake Metigoshe cabin. She enjoyed entertaining many family and friends at the lake. All the nieces and nephews recall Auntie Ardy's "rules:" no complaining about the food or you have to cook, everyone takes their turn washing dishes, and lifejackets are mandatory on the dock. The purple goulash was not appetizing, but that only came about when the fridge had to be cleaned out before returning home and the beets turned the hotdish purple. It was many years later before she laughingly admitted that recipe was questionable. She traveled extensively across the U.S. and abroad throughout her lifetime. If you read her book, you'll clearly see where she wrote about "buzzing" her friend's home on one excursion and lost her camera while leaning out of the airplane trying to photograph the event.

Her loving family includes : siblings, Mildred Lochthowe, Minot; Alma Bondly, Florida; Norma Parge, Montana; and 17 nieces and nephews as well as many grand and great-grand nieces and nephews.  She is also survived by her amazing caregiver, Patricia Ballard and her family.

Ardeth was preceded in death by her parents; brother, Bernard Strand and wife, Ruby; sisters, MarVonne Olson and husband, Nick; Verna Manfolk and husband, Kenneth; brothers-in-law, John Lochthowe, Kenneth Bondly and Kenneth Parge; infant brother, Theodore Strand, and nephews, Joel Lochthowe and Terry Strand.

Funeral Service: 11:00 a.m. Thursday, January 24, 2019 at Bethany Lutheran Church, Minot.
Interment: Rosehill Memorial Park, Minot
Visitation: 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Wednesday, January 23, 2019 at Thomas Family Funeral Home, Minot.
In lieu of plants and flowers memorials are preferred to Bethany Lutheran Church, Minot.

Ardeth Strand Flowers