Ardis Tweedy McFarland, 93

Ardis Tweedy McFarland passed away peacefully June 12, 2023, surrounded by family.

She was born January 12, 1930, in Niobrara, Nebraska. Born to Albert and Iva Tweedy, joining her 1-year-old sister Lorraine. Her parents later purchased a farm near Hartington, Nebraska. Sisters Doretha and Phyllis and brother Ronnie were born there. The children attended a one room schoolhouse. Ardis graduated from Liberty High School in Hartington, later attended a teaching college to earn a teaching certificate. She taught in a rural one room school. She married Thomas McFarland Sept. 27, 1951. She continued teaching while he was drafted into the Marine Corps and deployed to Korea. When he returned to the states in 1953, she joined him in California until his honorable discharge six months later.

Returning to Nebraska, Ardis continued teaching while her husband farmed with his brothers a few years. Their first child Michael was born during this time. They moved to Denver, Colorado, working in home construction and Ardis was a “stay-at-home” mom as Jeannie and Jeffrey were born there. Wishing to leave the city, they moved to Kalispell in 1969.

Tom continued his construction work, and Ardis substitute taught occasionally. In 1980 they returned to their farming roots and started McFarland Dairy. A career they continued together, milking 50 to 80 head of Holsteins, until their retirement until 1997.

After Tom passed in 2018, she lived alone still cooking and baking. She enjoyed reading her Bible, daily devotionals, completing the crossword and sudoku puzzles every day in the paper. There was nothing she enjoyed more than time spent with family and friends that she loved like family.

Ardis was preceded in death by her parents Albert and Iva Tweedy; grandparents James and Grace Wade; father and mother-in-law Roy and Sylvia McFarland; her husband of 67 years; two brothers-in-law and their spouses; five sisters-in-law and their spouses; her sister Doretha Tweedy; Lorraine Woockman and husband Raymond; and sister Phyllis Weslow and husband Julian.

She is survived by her brother Ron Tweedy and wife Judy; her children, Mike (Mary), Jeannie, and Jeffrey (Jackie); grandchildren, Mandi (John) Cole, Dylan (Allie) McFarland, and Jesse (Jennifer Stebbins) McFarland; Olivia (Austin) Root; Nicole, Jesse, Ashley and Jeffrey McFarland; great-grandchildren, Greta, Thomas and Vaida Cole, Addison, William and Benjamin McFarland, Drew and Devin McFarland, and Rylee Evans; and a great-great grandson due in September.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on July 1, 2023, at Buffalo Hill Funeral Home. Friends are encouraged to visit the website www.buffalohillfh.com to leave notes of condolences for the family. Buffalo Hill Funeral Home and Crematory caring for the family.