Ardell L. (Cook) Kennedy

Ardell married her high school sweetheart, Leo J Kennedy, on November 24, 1954. After Leo’s stint in the army, they settled down in Milwaukee and later built a home in Muskego. Ardell worked for a time outside of the home as a secretary but made sure she was home before her girls returned home from school. Ardell was a very skilled seamstress who made many beautiful outfits for her daughters as they were growing up.  She sang in the church choir, was an avid bowler and deer hunter, a talented wallpaper hanger, and loved gardening and canning. It has been said that Ardell excelled at everything she did.

In 1985, Leo took early retirement from AT&T, and he and Ardell purchased and completely renovated a farm in the Town of Fountain in Juneau County. Ardell hung all of the wallpaper, sewed every set of curtains, made seat cushions and matching shade covers, for every room in the house, as well as worked side by side helping Leo on anything house related. One day as Leo was working on the barn cupola and told Ardell to hold the ladder.  Soon he heard something, turned around and there was Ardell standing on the barn roof next to him! She and Leo were Packer fans and enjoyed traveling to the Packers Shareholder Meetings at Lambeau Field and also made a trek to Milwaukee for opening day of the State Fair every year. For many years, Ardell was the health care advocate for two elderly uncles. She took care of everything from their laundry to financial affairs. She was a “care giver” in every sense of the word.

Ardell is survived by her daughters, Mary Ann Kennedy and Patricia “Patty” Kennedy both of Nashville, TN, sister-in-law, Sharie (Art) Randall, niece Connie (Jack) Lobenstein, nephew Tim (Jackie) Randall, nephews Randy (Kathy) Cook and family, Chuck (Jean) Cook and family, her nephew’s wife Patti Cook and her family, sister-in-law Maureen Newkirk, cousin Dorothy Cook,  dear lifelong friend Gerry (Reisenauer) Wehman, and numerous other nieces, nephews, friends and neighbors.

Ardell was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Leo, her brother and sister-in-law Arden and Ardith Cook, nephew Ronald Cook, brother-in-law George Newkirk, her aunt and uncle Rosella and Charlie Christiano, and uncle Edward Raabe, cousin Dave Cook.

The family would like to thank Dr. Timothy Hinton and the staff at Crest View Nursing Home for the years of wonderful care of Ardell.

Funeral service will be held on Tuesday June 25, 2019 at 11:00a.m. at St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church (30032 County Hwy A, Tomah, WI) (Indian Creek) Pastor Robert Gerke will preside.  Relatives and friends are invited to a visitation at the church on Tuesday from 10:00a.m. until the time of service.  Burial will follow in the Hustler Cemetery.  Memorials may be given to the Alzheimer’s Association. The Hare Funeral Home is assisting the family with services.  Online condolences are available at www.harefuneralhome.com

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