It is with deep sadness that we say farewell to our mother, Ardis Carolyn Weeks Knapp Nardone, as she joins the love of her life, Charles F. Knapp, who predeceased her in 1989.

Ardis passed peacefully in her Fairlee Vermont home where she has lived with her daughter Nancy since 2017. Ardis leaves her children, Cheryl (Sherry) Conant of Tucson Arizona, Nancy Gilbert of Fairlee Vermont (previously of Tucson Arizona) and Steven Knapp (Lesa)of Woodstock Vermont, her grandchildren; Leah Bacon of Tucson Arizona (Steve Bacon), Sarah Rostran of Stockbridge Vermont (Roberto Rostran), Nathan Conte of South Berwick Maine (Alicia Doane), Noah Gilbert of Waltham Mass (Elyssa Bailey), Sam Gilbert of Tucson Arizona (Sarah Nadolny) and Jennifer Dasler of Norwich Vermont. In addition, Ardis leaves her great grandchildren Tenley Dasler, Olive Conte, Gwendolyn and Cora Rostran, Emily and Molly Mulcahey and Avery and Hayden Bacon.

Ardis and Charles (Bud to his family and friends) Knapp enjoyed a 42+ year marriage together and as their children grew up, married and had their own children, Bud and Ardis embraced their roles as grandparents, splitting their time between their summer home in Vermont and their winter home in Florida. Nothing gave them more pleasure than spending time with their family, celebrating life's milestones, sharing special memories and welcoming each new addition to the family.

As a young mother, Ardis was a fulltime homemaker and part-time hot lunch cook at the local elementary school in Northfield Falls where she and Bud settled after Bud graduated from College. As their children grew, Ardis left the elementary school position to take the position of Post Mistress at the local Post Office while she taught square dancing to the neighborhood children and ran a Girl Scout Troop in her spare time.  Following several years at the Post Office, Ardis decided to go back to school and consequently enjoyed a long and successful career as an EMT in Northfield Vermont, winning awards and statewide recognition for her work on the Northfield Ambulance Squad. It was in this position that Ardis found her nitch, employing her skills to save many lives over her years of dedicated service, including her husbands' on 2 separate occasions.

During their many years in Northfield, Ardis and Bud were proud members of Eastern Star and Masons and took an active role in the towns many local events.  From the summer bazaar to bingo to the annual blood drives, Ardis and Bud were active members of their little community and made friendships that lasted a lifetime.

Ardis and her family especially loved spending time at their shared family camp on Woodward Reservoir in Plymouth Vermont, built by Buds father when Bud and his 3 siblings were young children. Summers were spent boating, swimming and perch fishing on the lake with the various Aunts, Uncles and Cousins, with winters heralding snow mobiling and ice fishing. As the various children grew up and had their own families, Bud and Ardis continued the family traditions, passing on the family history to each new generation.

During their retirement, Ardis and Bud also loved traveling in their many little campers, exploring the United States and Canada and forging lasting friendships along the way. Ardis and Bud shared a love of square dancing and enjoyed participating in that activity both in Vermont and Florida with Ardis creating their colorful matching outfits on her trusty Singer Sewing Machine.

Bud's unexpected passing in August of 1989 left Ardis heartbroken until she met and married her second husband, Frank Nardone. Frank and Ardis continued to enjoy splitting their time between Vermont and Florida and especially enjoyed time spent at Franks summer house on Grenell Island NY, until Franks death in 2006. Ardis always counted her blessings in being lucky enough to meet Frank and have a chance at what she called "a second life" with him. Frank and Ardis loved boating around the Thousand Islands, swing and ballroom dancing together, exploring thrift stores, playing cards with friends and family on the Island and entertaining their children and grandchildren who came to visit. Ardis resurrected the Islands Library, adding a children's section for the many grandchildren who visited the Island.  Ardis and Frank continued to spend their winters at their Florida home and would travel out to Arizona each winter by train to visit family there, teaching the grandchildren to play Skip Bo and exploring the many local sights, including an especially memorable family trip to Mexico where Ardis learned the fine art of haggling with the many Beach vendors.

Ardis was an accomplished artist, oil painting being her favorite medium, and over the years created many lovely landscapes of her favorite Vermont settings, encompassing all seasons.  She shared this talent with her children, teaching them to draw and to appreciate the arts. An avid gardener in her younger years, Ardis loved to watch the spring flowers, herbs and vegetables flourish in the many gardens surrounding her Fairlee home while instructing Nancy on the finer points of gardening. In these last years, Ardis especially enjoyed sitting out on her front porch, watching the birds come to the many feeders dotting the front yard and receiving visits from her children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren.

Ardis's greatest joy was when she had all three of her children together, laughing, swapping stories and teasing each other.  In the fall of 2019 Ardis had the added pleasure of not only having all three of her children together at her home but also a surprise visit from her oldest and dearest friends, Charles and Faith Fuller.  Due to the Covid pandemic, it would be the last time Ardis had all her children together with her and she spoke often of how special that day had been and how happy it made her.

The family would like to take this opportunity to thank Ardis's private in-home care-provider, Jennifer Quimby, for providing Ardis with love, companionship and expert care during her end of life journey. The family would also like to thank the dedicated staff of Ardis's home Hospice team, VNH, for their care, support and guidance during this transitional time. Thank you to Knights Funeral Home for their respectful, caring services.

A celebration of life will be held in the spring in Pittsfield Vermont. In lieu of flowers,  we invite anyone to make a donation in Ardis's name to your local first responders/ambulance service.

Mom, Gram, Gigi, Ardis, you will be missed. We love you.

Knight Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements. Condolences may be expressed in an online guestbook found at www.knightfuneralhomes.com.