Ardelle Schrag

Ardelle Schrag, 101, of Marion passed away on July 10th at the Tieszen Memorial Home in Marion. Memorial Services will be held at 11 am, on Tuesday July 23rd, at the Salem Zion Mennonite Church of Freeman.  Visitation will begin at 10 am Tuesday before the Memorial Service at the church and will continue in the fellowship hall following the Memorial Service.

Ardelle Mae Schrag was born March 11, 1923, in rural Freeman to Jonathan and Rose(Preheim) Ries. She grew up on the family farm with 3 younger brothers and helped with outdoor chores and household responsibilities. Her family attended Salem Mennonite Church where she was baptized on November 12, 1939. 

Ardelle attended rural school at Morning Star District # 93 for eight years before graduating in 1941 from Freeman Academy. After attending Black Hills Teacher College she taught in rural schools for several years.

On August 19, 1948, Ardelle and Allen Schrag were married at Salem Mennonite Church. She then became a member of Salem-Zion Mennonite Church where she taught Sunday School and was active in Women in Missions. 

This marriage of 73 years was blessed with three children: Lola, Rita and Dean. Ardelle and Allen made their home on Allen's family farm. Her life as a wife and mother was filled with cooking, sewing, quilting, growing flowers, vegetable gardening, preserving the garden produce and butchering broilers. She also remembers milking cows and driving the tractor when baling hay.

There were family trips to visit out of state relatives and later Allen and Ardelle traveled to celebrate anniversaries. Ardelle was a member of the Merry Homemakers extension club where she enjoyed their outings and friendship. She volunteered at Schmeckfest, with Mennonite Disaster Service and in the Swan Lake Camp kitchen.

Ardelle and Allen lived on the farm until moving to Marion in 1984. After moving she continued to sew, have a garden and flowers and also volunteered at the Tieszen Memorial Home. Mom enjoyed spending time with family and especially looked forward to time with her grandchildren. In 2021 Ardelle and Allen moved into the Tieszen Memorial Home. She participated in activities as she was able.

Left to cherish Ardelle's memory are her children, Lola Schrag, Rita Becker, Dean (Lori) Schrag; grandchildren, Kristi Becker, Lori Stanford (Chad Nelsen), Toby Schrag, Cody Schrag; great granddaughter Maddie Stanford; brother Alan Ries; sisters-in-law JoAnn Ries, Stella Schrag, and Orpha Schrag as well as nieces and nephew.

Preceding Ardelle in death were her husband Allen, son-in-law Rudy Becker, brothers Marvin and Lemoyne Ries, sisters-in-law Jane Ries and Sara Ries and Schrag in-laws.