Ardith Wininger

February 13, 1926 - April 5, 2013

Ardith Adelle (Felton) Wininger was born February 13, 1926, on Shady Brooke farm outside of Dwight, Kansas, to Ralph and Hattie (Forsyth) Felton. She passed away April 3, 2013 in Nebraska City, Nebraska after a lengthy battle with Alzheimer?s Disease. Ardith attended rural schools in Morris County, Kansas and graduated from Dwight Rural High School in 1944. She attended Baker University and Emporia State Teachers College and received her Bacherlor?s Degree from the University of Northern Colorado. She also attended Graduate School at Peru State College and received her Master?s Degree in Special Education from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She was united in marriage to Darrell Edgar Wininger on July 4, 1947 at the Dwight Methodist Church. After living in Burr Oak and Lovewell, Kansas, they moved to Peru in 1952 which is where they would raise their family. Born to this union were four children; Darrell, Jr., Dennis, David and Dwight. A daughter was added to the family in 1967 when Melody was adopted by Darrell and Ardith. Ardith taught school at rural schools in Kansas and Colorado before moving to Nebraska. She re-entered the teaching profession in the early 1970?s after taking off more than 20 years to raise her five children. She spent the last 20 years of her years as a First Grade Teacher at the Nebraska School for the Visually Handicapped in Nebraska City. Ardith was very active in community affairs in Peru and Auburn in a variety of capacities. She was a Cub Scout Den Mother, a member of the Peru PEO Chapter, AAUW, PALS and was honored as a Nebraska Merit Mother, Peru Citizen of the Year and Queen of Old Man River Days. She sang at many different events through the years, including recitals, funerals, weddings and concerts (she was a featured soloist several times in Handel?s The Messiah). She was a lifelong member of the Methodist Church, having been baptized at the Dwight Methodist Church in 1926. She had been a member of the Auburn First United Methodist Church for more than 40 years. Ardith was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 42 years, and her sister, Helen Ione Pickett. Left to mourn her passing are her sons Darrell (Patty), Blair, NE; Dennis (Allyson), San Francisco, CA; David (Ruth), Papillion, NE; Dwight (Kathy), Lincoln, NE; daughter Melody Parman (Phil), Allen, TX; Grandchildren Lizz (Brian) Abrahams, Nick Wininger, Clark Wininger, Josh Wininger, Rebekah (Garrett) Swanberg, Sarah Morrison (Matt), Ashley Spencer (Matt), Aaron Parman, Preston Parman, Thomas Wininger, Brooke Wininger, Adam Parvanehgohar and Autash Parvanehgohar. Great-grandchildren include Drew, Isaac, Ella, and Tessa Swanberg; Fiona and Harper Morrison; and Ava Marie and Madeline Spencer.