Ardyth Ann (Oehlerking) Banzhaf

Ardyth Ann Banzhaf, 80, a longtime resident of Orafino, Nebraska, went to be with her Heavenly Father on January 29, 2021. Ardyth Ann Oehlerking was the fourth child born to Alvin and Lily (Schroeder) Oehlerking on December 17, 1940 in Omaha, Nebraska.

She graduated from Murdock High School in 1958 and Westmar College, located in LeMars, IA in 1962. She taught school at Jeffers Public School, Jeffers, Minnesota from 1962 to1964 and South High in Omaha from 1964 to 1965. She was a substitute teacher at Cambridge Public School and local area schools from 1984 to 2004.

On July 17, 1965 she married Ronald Dean Banzhaf at Ebenezer Evangelical United Brethren Church at Murdock, Nebraska. They were blessed with three sons; LaVern, Virgil, and Kevin.

She was a member of the Evangelical United Brethren and United Methodist Church all her life serving on various committees, and also teaching Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.  She was a member of United Methodist Women and served as an officer of the local, district, and conference organizations. Ron and Ardyth enjoyed serving on multiple mission trips. These included three weeks in New Orleans following hurricane Katrina, three weeks at United Methodist Mission locations in Kentucky and Louisiana, and one week working at Greensburg, Kansas, following their destructive tornado.  Ardyth also served her church by being a part of a committee that provided meals for funerals. She was a big part of the farm operation working beside Ron in whatever capacity that was needed from driving the combine, tractor or going after parts.  Ardyth was an excellent seamstress and quilter.  She received many ribbons from local fairs and received the Purple Ribbon at the State Fair for one of her many quilts.  Ardyth poured love and labor into a quilt for each of her grandchildren.  Ardyth enjoyed gardening and canning and always planted a large garden to supply food for her family and many others.  Ardyth was a big supporter of her 3 boys' school activities and loved going to all of their sporting events and other school activities. In March of 2008, a tragic accident caused her to be confined to a wheelchair for the rest of her life.  During this time a special friend, Jeri Lou Arnold, came to visit Ardyth every Friday, she looked forward to those visits and always appreciated Jeri’s friendship. Ardyth was a big Husker Volleyball fan and followed the team closely.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Ron; her parents and one brother and sister-in-law, Myron & Marilyn Oehlerking.

She is survived by her three sons: LaVern and wife, Rhonda, Virgil and wife, Trista, and Kevin and wife, Heather all of Cambridge; ten grandchildren: Kayla (Mark) Hanson, Krayton, Taten (Kristian), Konner, Jayda, Ellice, Mason, Hailey, Hannah and Matthew; two great-grandchildren, Josiah Hanson and Walter Banzhaf; one brother, Marvin and wife, Ramona, of Murdock; one sister, Eunice and husband, Earl Higgins, of Lincoln. 

Memorial services will be held at the Trinity United Methodist Church on Friday , February 5, 2021 at 1:00 PM with Pastor David Kim officiating.  Inurnment will be in the Fairview Cemetery.  Memorials may be addressed in Ardyth's name to the Trinity United Methodist Church.  Friends may leave online condolences at lockenour.com.  Lockenour-Jones Mortuary entrusted with arrangements.

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