Ardith Mongerson, of Taylor Ridge, passed away on Sunday, January 22, 2017 at UPH-Trinity, Rock Island, IL at the age of 95.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 AM  on Saturday, January 28, 2017 at St. Patricks Catholic Church, Andalusia.  Visitation will be from 4 pm to 7 pm on Friday, January 27, 2017 at Wheelan-Pressly Funeral Home and Crematory, 201 E. 4th Ave., Milan.  Inurnment will be at Reynolds Cemetery.  Memorials may be made to the family.
Ardith  was born in Reynolds Illinois on October 6, 1921, the daughter of Virgil and Nellie Minteer. She attended Reynolds High School  and graduated in 1939. Ardith married Paul Mongerson in Wenatchee, WA on October 15, 1944.
In 1947 Ardith began a 35-year teaching career, starting in one-room schoolhouses in and around Edgington IL.  She contiuned taking courses from multiple universities and colleges to complete her teaching degree; Ardith finally graduated from Augustana College, having already taught for 20 years, in Rockridge High and Junior High schools. Ardith gave up her own Masters studies to teach Latin, keeping it in the curriculum for 10 more years, until her own retirement in 1982.
Ardith and Paul spent their retirement years indulging Ardith's passions: buying and selling antiques and travelling the world.  In 2002 Ardith took in her niece's friend Christian Ramirez and his four-year-old daughter Yvonne Ramirez. Helping to raise Yvonne earned her the title of Aunty, the name she was called by all who knew her in the last years.
Aunty Ardith was preceded in death by parents Virgil and Nellie Minteer, brother Orville Minteer, and husband Paul Mongerson USAF.

Ardith is survived by her sister-in-law, Virginia Minteer; niece, Diane McIntyre; nephew, Norman (Laurel) Minteer; great nieces and nephews, Colin (Louise) Johnson, Kyle (Brandy) Johnson, Shelley Minteer and Scott Minteer; great great nieces and nehews, Devin, Alexandra, Kaelen, Blake, and Bryce Johnson; and semi-adopted son and granddaughter, Christian and Yvonne Ramirez.