Ardis Krieger

Funeral services for Ardis Krieger were held on Friday, December 9, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at the Lucas Baptist Church in Lucas, SD with Pastor Mark Tuttle officiating.

Music was provided by Geoff Smith and Mark Tuttle, soloists, accompanied by Michaela Johnson, pianist. Jane Taylor and Kay Matucha were in charge of registration. Flower attendants were Kathy Russell, Carol Cook, Anita Cirulis, and Deb Kaul.

Casket bearers were Cody Krieger, Ashley Krieger, Lindsey Krieger, Stacy Skoglund, Michelle Birkeland, Ryan Schweigert, Justin Willuweit, and Clint Willuweit. Honorary casket bearers were Silver Threads residents and caregivers.

Interment was in the IOOF Cemetery in Gregory, SD. Kotrba-Smith Funeral Home was in charge of arrangements.

Ardis was born on February 16, 1929, to Albert and Elizabeth (Engel) Steffen on a farm near Bloomfield, NE. She was the third child of six children born to this union. Ardis spent the early part of her childhood growing up in Nebraska where she started her elementary school years.

In 1937, when Ardis was eight years old, the Albert Steffen family moved to Oregon. After finishing grade school in North Plains, OR, and high school in Hillsboro, OR, graduating in May of 1946, Ardis attended a state teachers college in Monmouth, OR, for one semester. It was at this time the family decided to move back to the Midwest.

Ardis and her family moved to the Ernest Steffen farm northeast of Burke in February of 1947. Ardis then attended Southern State College at Springfield, SD, where she received a teacher’s certificate to teach in rural schools. Her first teaching job was the country school of Hornbeck not far from where her family was living. She soon met Leo Krieger, and they were married on June 26, 1949, at the Congregational Church in Gregory, SD. To this union three children were born: Kenneth, Janice, and Karen.

They lived on a farm northeast of Burke where Leo farmed with his dad, Adam Krieger. In later years, they continued farming and ranching with their son, Ken Krieger. During this time, Ardis stayed at home raising her family and keeping busy. Ardis had many talents; she was an excellent cook. Her love of cooking was shown by her collection of many many cookbooks. Ardis would spend many an afternoon in the winter sewing clothes for her girls with the poodle skirts being their favorite. She even bought Barbie doll patterns and made clothes for Janice and Karen’s barbies. In the summer, she planted a huge garden and shared the produce with family and friends after putting up many pints and quarts for her own family. Ardis worked hard separating milk and making butter, butchering chickens and selling eggs for spending money. After the children were grown, Ardis worked at the Burke High School for 23 years as the principal’s secretary.

Ardis was a member of the First Baptist Church of Lucas, SD, and belonged to the ladies’ Missionary Society (Mary & Martha). Church was an important part of her life. She was also a member of the Southeast Lucas Mother’s Club for many years until the club was discontinued.

Ardis and Leo moved from the farm to Gregory, SD, in July of 2008 due to Leo’s health after he suffered a heart attack and a debilitating stroke in 2005. Ardis spent the years in town lovingly taking care of Leo until it was necessary for Leo to enter the Rosebud Country Care Center in February 2020. Leo passed away on October 10, 2020, and a month and a half later Ardis fell down her basement stairs. She spent the remaining two years of her life in the hospital, nursing home, and eventually made it to Silver Threads Assisted Living facility. Ardis not only survived her fall, but she was a cancer survivor for over thirty years.

Ardis Lucille (Steffen) Krieger passed away on December 1, 2022, at the age of 93.

She is survived by her daughters, Karen (Wayne) Willuweit, Janice (Larry) Schweigert; and her son, Kenneth (Jolene Knudsen) Krieger; her eight grandchildren: Stacy (Mike) Skoglund, Cody (Jennifer) Krieger, Justin (Natalie) Willuweit, Michelle (Jason) Birkeland, Clint (Amanda) Willuweit, Lindsey (Todd Feige) Krieger, Ashley Krieger, and Ryan (Danielle) Schweigert; eighteen great-grandchildren; two great-greatgranddaughters; youngest brother Vern (Beverly) Steffen; sisters-inlaw Doris Cirulis, Wilma Halsey, and Lois Oliver; and many nieces and nephews.

Ardis was preceded in death by her dear husband Leo of 71 years; her parents; her sisters Velda Keeton and Roberta Teel; her brothers Norman Steffen and Robert Steffen; in-laws Adam and Katherine Krieger; sisters-in-law June Steffen, Geneive Steffen, and Kathy Krieger; brothers- in-law Ervin Keeton, Russell Teel, Harold Halsey, Art Cirulis, Larry Olive; and Roy Krieger; nephews Mark Teel and Robert Steffen; niece Valda Cirulis; and her great-granddaughter Cheyenne Krieger.