Ardith Straabe, 94, of Leeds died Friday, March 15, 2013 at Heartland Care Center in Devils Lake. Funeral services will be Thursday, March 21, 2013, 1:00 PM at Leeds Lutheran Church with Pastor Richard Budd officiating.  Burial will be in the church cemetery later this spring.  Visitation will be Thursday at the church and hour before the service.  Music will be from by Lucia Jacobson, Mark Friestad and Bo Lauckner. Casket bearers will be Todd Straabe, Dan Straabe, Bo Lauckner, Jerome Bokn, Dean Johnson, and John Conway Sr..

Ardith Evelyn Mickelson was born Feb. 7, 1919 in York Township, to Oscar and Selma Wegge Mickelson. She was reared on the family farm north of Leeds in the Hurricane Lake area. She graduated from Leeds High School in 1936. In 1940 she married Thomas Straabe of Leeds. They farmed in the Leeds and York areas until moving to Leeds in 1945. She worked at the Leeds Creamery for awhile, but excelled as a salesperson. She sold Christmas ads for the Benson County Farmers Press a number of years, greeting cards, Raleigh products for over 50 years, but was best known as the Avon lady, which she sold for over 40 years. She was a dedicated worker, selling even after she moved into the ODD fellows home in Devils Lake at the age of 91. She was an Avon President's Club member many, many times. In March 2012, she moved into the Heartland Care Center in Devils Lake.

She became a member of the Leeds Lutheran Church and the Lydia Circle, after transferring from the Hurricane Lake Lutheran Church in 1955. She was a member for 65 years of the Leeds Auxiliary, joining in its first year. In July 2011 she was an honored guest in the Leeds 125th parade as the oldest living graduate of Leeds High School.

She was preceded in death by her husband on Aug. 25, 1981; their son, Allen on Oct. 25, 2011; a brother, Orvis (Bud) Mickelson; a sister, Maxine Straabe; and her parents.

Ardith is survived by her grandchildren: A. Todd (Julie) Straabe of Ruthville; Lisa Lauckner of Leeds, Daniel Straabe of Lisbon; Kyle A. Straabe of Bemidji, Minn. and Matthew (Carrie) Straabe of Grand Rapids, Minn.; 10 great-grandchildren; four step-grandchildren; six step-great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

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