Ardis C. Karban, 94, of rural Hetland, died Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017, at the Fountains at Hosanna in Lakeville, Minnesota.

A family funeral service was held in Lakeville, Minnesota, on October 28.  Visitation and memorial service is scheduled 11 a.m.  Wednesday at the Johnson-Henry Funeral Home in Arlington.  Burial is at the Lake Preston Cemetery. 

Ardis was born Dec. 19, 1922, to Bernard and Clara (Paulson) Nilson of rural Hoople, North Dakota.  She attended rural elementary schools and graduated from Hoople High School in 1939.  She continued her education at Dakota Business College in Fargo, North Dakota.  

Ardis worked for several years as a secretary and bookkeeper in Fargo, before meeting Howard Karban, a Hetland farmer, when he was the best man and Ardis was a bridesmaid at the wedding of their good friends Clarence Cleveland of Arlington and Borghild Brager of Hoople.  Within a year, on Sept. 26, 1948, Howard and Ardis married at the North Dakota country church where Ardis had been baptized and confirmed. 

The couple settled on Howard’s farm near Hetland, raising sheep, field crops, two children, a dog and multiple farm cats.  

Home and community were very important to Ardis and Howard.  She ran the household and he ran the farm.  Ardis was a skilled seamstress, who kept an attractive and well-appointed home.  She was a member of Happy Dozen Extension Club, taught Sunday School, was a leader of the “Just Us Girls” 4-H club, and was active in Circle and Ladies Aid at her churches, Trinity Lutheran Church in Arlington and the Hetland Congregational Church.   In later years, she was instrumental in founding and running the Hetland Historical Society and was dedicated to supporting the community that was her adopted hometown.

Ardis was known for her commitment to caring for the needs of elderly family and friends.  She was the mainstay for many who needed an advocate and friend in their final years.  Ardis said “they needed me and I was glad to do it.”  She cared for Howard at home during his final illness until his death in 1996.  

Ardis continued to live on the family farm until July 2015, when she moved into The Fountains at Hosanna, an assisted living center near her family in Lakeville, Minnesota.  Her apartment was directly across the hall from the center’s library and Ardis spent much of the last two years of her life immersed her in life-long passion of reading.  

Ardis is survived by her children Mary (Larry) Bennett of McMinnville, Oregon, and Steve (Debbie) of Apple Valley, Minnesota; five grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; four great-great grandchildren; and long-time family friends Tom Nelson of Hetland and Tiffany Runia of Volga.

Ardis was preceded in death by her husband and brothers, Paul and Carl Nilson.

Contributions in memory of Ardis may be given to Hospice or The Fountains at Hosanna.