Ardis G. Christen

Ardis Georgianne Fiskerbeck Christen was born in Superior, WI on February 19, 1938 to K. Victor A. Fiskerbeck and Violet Gulsvig Fiskerbeck. She died in Rochester, MN at St Marys Hospital on Friday, September 15, 2017 following heart surgery on August 29, 2017. Ardis lived in Solon Springs, WI until the age of four when she moved with her parents and sister, Elizabeth, to rural Ossian, IA where her father was a pastor at Stavanger, Ossian, and Eldorado Lutheran Churches. She graduated from Ossian High School in 1956. A highlight for her that year was to be named to the Des Moines Register Girls' State Basketball Honor Roll. She continued her education at Luther College where she met Dean Christen, her husband of 53 years, graduating with a BA in English and Speech Education in 1959. She received a Master of Science Degree from Mankato State University in Library Technology and taught in the Elkton, Rochester, and Stewartville Public Schools. Dean and Ardis were married on August 16, 1959 and had two daughters, Lisa and Kari. She enjoyed spending her summers on Long Lake in Park Rapids where she loved watching the loons. She always kept an eye on the loon chicks in an effort to protect them from bald eagles. Ardy enjoyed traveling with her family, including post-retirement trips to Ephasus, Israel, and the Panama Canal. She had an insatiable love of learning and thirst for knowledge and research, which she delighted in sharing with everyone. Ardis felt most complete when she was caring for someone else. She was the primary caregiver for her mother and her husband in their last years. She cared about everyone she met and loved to help others. She always put others first. Family and friends were an important part of her life. Ardis is survived by her children, Lisa Christen, of Plymouth, MN and Kari (Dave) Richards, of Rochester, MN; grandson, Ian Richards, of Rochester, MN; sister Elizabeth Bruening of Kensington, Maryland; brother-in-law, Elliott (Bev) Christen, of Decorah, IA; nephew, Kyle (Laura) Christen, of Cedar Rapids, IA; niece, Jana (Kevin) Albers, of Decorah, IA; and great-nephew, Carson Christen, of Germany. She was preceded in death by her husband, Dean; her parents, Victor and Violet Fiskerbeck; brother-in-law, Robert Bruening; and brother-in-law, Jan Christen. Visitation will be held at Ranfranz & Vine Funeral Home, 5421 Royal Place NW, Rochester, MN on Thursday, September 21 from 4:00-7:00 p.m. Her memorial service will be on Friday, September 22 at 11:00 a.m. at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, 2124 Viola Road, Rochester, MN. There will be a visitation one hour prior to the service and there will be a luncheon following the service. In lieu of flowers, The Ardis F Christen Memorial Fund has been established for Cardiovascular Research at Mayo Clinic. www.philanthropy.mayoclinic.org. Please connect her name with your donation by indicating "in memory of Ardis F. Christen" on the memo line.