Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Westie, Ardith Lorraine (Wingeier) January 12, 2018 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Pat Currigan currigan1932@comcast.net May 9, 2020, 9:55 am Ionia Sentinel Standard-Sat. Jan. 20, 2018 ARDITH WESTIE, 95 Ardith Lorraine Wingeier Westie died January 12, 2018. She was born in Ionia County in 1922 to Carl Lawrence Wingeier and Eva May Velzy Wingeier. She attended Ionia High School and was graduated at 16. She was grateful to her Ionia high School debate coach, Maurice Fall, and her English teacher, Virginia Cooper. She won second place in the National 4-H Congress Canning Judging competition. Ardith graduated from Central Michigan College of Education (now CMU) as Valedictorian. While there, she was influenced by fine faculty and fellow students, edited the year book, met and married Charles M. Westie. She became an excellent judge of literary style and of fellow human beings. The signal event of Ardith and Charles generation was World War II, and their correspondence in those years reflects the philosophy and ideals of that time. Daughter Judith was born in 1942. In 1943 Charles volunteered for Military service and later participated in the D-Day invasion at Normandy. Charles was grievously wounded, resulting in the loss of a leg. He was discharged from the army in 1946. Ardith spent those years as a single mother and staff writer for the Michigan Education Journal in Lansing. The couple's faithful wartime correspondence documents that era, and is in the Archives of Michigan in Lansing. Ardith and Charles added three more children to their family and participated together in Charles; acquisition of a Ph. D in Sociology from the Ohio State University. Charles taught at Michigan State University, while Ardith edited Uiversity publications for four years. They returned to Mt. Pleasant and spent the balance of their careers at CMU. Ardith edited the University Bulletin and chaired many special university events. She was revered by other for excellent judgment, insight and advice. She and Charles were a resource for students in need of assistance and were especially supportive of the Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, students of color, and students with disabilities. They participated in demonstrations against the Vietnam war and environmental efforts. Ardith received the Distinguished Alumni Award from CMU in 1993. Ardith and Charles enjoyed their close families and many friendships. They bought a house in the village of Empire in 1971 and thereafter much time was spent there. Ardith was an exceptional caregiver for her disabled husband, her children, both sets of parents, and many others who needed help. Ardith read voraciously and wrote thousands of letters. Thus she maintained connections with family and friends throughout the world. She loved literature, poetry, public affairs, art, music, film dance, flowers, long outdoor view and sunsets. Ardith was preceded in death by her parents; husband; sister, Carmen; and great- grandchildren, Aksel and Janie. She is survived by her children, Judith (Kennard) Weaver of Traverse City, John Westie of Bolton, Vt., Susan Hilton of Traverse city, and Elizabeth Westie (Joel Brattin) of Worcester, Mass.; two sisters, Janice Bussard of Spring Lake, and Carol (Christian) Harder of Palo; nine grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; a sister-in-law, Margaret Westie; and many beloved nieces, nephews and cousins. Memorial honoring Ardith may be made to the Clarke Historical library at CMU, the Empire area Museum, of the Michigan Barn Preservation network. A Memorial service will be held in Empire in the summer,, with interment in Maple Grove Cemetery, Empire. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/mi/ionia/obits/w/westie36500nob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/mifiles/ File size: 4.1 Kb