Ardis Cress

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, May 27, 2008

Ardis Odelia Cress, longtime resident of Austin, passed away on May 25, 2008 in Eden Prairie, Minn.

Ardis was born on April 21, 1916 in Detroit Lakes, Minn., to Wilhelm and Selma (Strand) Bilstad. She was a graduate of Fargo High School in Fargo, N.D., and Concordia College, Moorhead, Minn. Ardis taught high school English in Buxton, N.D., and Rose Creek, Minn. She married John Cress on July 27, 1942 at Queen of Angels Church in Austin. Ardy was a member of St. Augustine Parish and several bridge groups.

She is survived by her children, John Cress, Minnesota City, Minn., William (Pat), LaCrosse, Wis., Brian (Doris), Cottage Grove, Minn., and Joan (Rex) Kohl, Eden Prairie, Minn. She is also survived by 11 grandchildren, Jason Cress, Michele (Troy) Koster, Laura (Kreg) Maxon, Cecilia (Shannon) Riley, Virginia (David) Faas, Michael Cress, Leah (Loren) Jones, Ryan (Beka) Kohl, Taylor Kohl and Braden Kohl; great-grandchildren, Lucas and Logan Maxon, Jonah and Elijah Faas, Morgan and Erin Riley; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Judy Bilstad, Lucille Cress, Jeanne and Paul Ginder, Carol and George Battey, William and Mary Jane Cress, and Vernon Graff; and many nieces and nephews.

Ardis was preceded in death by her daughter, Mary Margaret (Peggy) in 1949; husband, John in 1992; parents; sister, Hazel Bilstad; two brothers, Rev. Orvin Bilstad and Winston Bilstad; parents-in-law, William and Josephine Cress; sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Margaret and James Hayden, Dolores and Howard Slupe, Marie Graff, Nicholas and Dorothea Cress and Henry Cress; niece, Sherry Cress Breitbarth and nephews Jerry Ginder, Duane Slupe, and Stephen Bilstad.

A memorial service will be held at St. Augustine Church on Sunday, June 1, 2008 at 1 p.m.