February 20, 1929 — January 19, 2026

Mrs. Ardys A. Albertsen, age 96, of Audubon, IA, passed away on Monday, January 19, 2026, at the Exira Care Center in Exira, IA.

Ardys Adel Frederiksen was born on February 20, 1929, to Frederick and Clara (Petersen) Frederiksen on their family farm south of Hamlin. She was baptized at Hamlin Lutheran Church and later confirmed at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon. She attended Hamlin School #6 and graduated from Audubon High School with the class of 1947.

Her father passed away when Ardys was 16 years old. Her mother remarried Magnus Madsen, and she enjoyed many years with him as part of her life. Ardys taught country school for several years. She later attended Dana College in Blair, NE. After her college years, she worked at The First National Bank in Eugene, OR, and The First National Bank in Lincoln, NE.

After returning to Audubon, Ardys worked as the secretary at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church. While back in Audubon, Ardys met Ernie Albertsen. They were married on October 25th, 1953, at Our Saviour’s Lutheran Church in Audubon. They lived in Audubon and were blessed with three children: Jeff, Jo Ellen, and Joni. In 1962, they moved to their farm near Gray, Iowa, in Cameron Township. She was busy raising their children and helping on the farm. She enjoyed playing bridge and was active in the Cameron Country Club. She was a member of the Church Circle and, in later years, a member of the Red Hat Society.

Ardys and Ernie enjoyed time with family and friends, playing cards, ballroom dancing, traveling, and wintering in Tucson, AZ, close to her sister Sally, her husband Stan, and their family. After retiring in 1991, they moved to Carroll, IA. Ernie passed away in 1994. Ardys continued wintering in AZ, where she met a great friend, Bob Johnson, and they stayed friends for 20 years until he passed away in 2018. Ardys moved to Audubon in November 2020 and later entered the Exira Care Center in May 2022.

Ardys was preceded in death by her husband Ernie; daughter-in-law, Carol Albertsen; her parents, Frederick and Clara Frederiksen; step-father Magnus Madsen; infant sister Carol Ann; brothers Franklin (and wife Gwendolyn) and Curtis Frederiksen; sister Sally Coulthard; mother and father-in-law Mike and Sidsel Albertsen; brother-in-law Russell Albertsen; brother and sister-in-law LaVern and Carrie Schmidt; and her special friend Bob Johnson.

Ardys is survived by her son, Jeff Albertsen; daughters, Jo Ellen (Matt) Loveless and Joni (Mark) Baier; grandchildren, Mike (Krystal) Albertsen, Jennifer (Tim) Young, Jill (Alan) Tompkins, Stefanie (Mark) Rummans, Drew (Tara) Baier, and Katelyn Baier. Great grandchildren, Gracye and Sienna Albertsen, Bennett and Avery Young, Noah, Parker, and Lainey Tompkins, Brylie, Brock, and Brynn Baier. She is also survived by her brother-in-law, Dr. Stanley Coulthard, as well as many nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Friday, January 23, 2026, at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church in Audubon, IA, with Rev. Sean Dougherty officiating. Interment will take place following the funeral at Maple Grove Cemetery in Audubon. Following the committal, a luncheon will be held in the Fellowship Hall of the Church.

Public visitation with the family will be held on Friday at the Church, starting at 9:00 a.m., prior to the funeral.

Memorials may be directed to the Albertsen Family to be designated at a later date, and may be mailed to Schmidt Family Funeral Home P.O. Box 201 Audubon, IA 50025

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the Schmidt Family Funeral Home of Audubon.

#2 Funeral leaflet

(photos)

A Celebration of the Life, Death and Resurrection of Ardys Adel Albertsen

February 20, 1929 ~ January 19, 2026

at Our Saviour's Lutheran Church.

Meditation: "You show me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy"--Romans 8: 38-39

The family celebrates reunion of Ardys with Ernie together in Christ for eternity.

Prelude Music Selections: Barb Smith.

Entrance:
Processional (by Walkers to Heaven) "On Eagle's Wings"
Words of Grace: Pastor Sean Dougherty
Greeting and Prayer
First Hymn (by Carrie Underwood) "How Great Thou Art"
God's Words: Words of Peace: Psalm 23; 1-4; Words of Support: Deuteronomy 31:6; Words of Hope: John 14: 2-3
Remembering Ardys
Message: "Still Dancing"
Lord's Prayer (pray aloud together)
Second Hymn (#448) "Amazing Grace"
Prayer of Commendation: Pastor Sean Dougherty
Prayer of Thanksgiving (pray aloud together) "God our Father, We thank you for Ardys, and for Your love shared with us through her. We give thanks for her joy, her laughter, her love for people, and for the many ways she showed up for others throughout her life. We thank You for the years she shared with Ernie, for her devotion to family and friends, and for the ways her love continued even through grief and loss. Now give us strength and support we need to entrust Ardys into Your eternal care, confident in Your promise of life beyond death, made sure through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."
Final Blessing: John 14: 1-7
Recessional (by Mercy Me) "I Can Only Imagine"

Please join Ardys' family for a luncheon and fellowship in our social hall after the service and graveside committal in Maple Grove Cemetery.

Thank you for joining to gather and remember Ardys' life and her resurrection to new life that we celebrate today. Your expressions of condolence and support are a blessing to the entire family. Your prayers for Jeff, Jo Ellen and John will be a comfort to them in the days ahead.

This is true: Ardys knew Jesus!
Her life reflected Christ's love through joy, movement, laughter, and a deep love for people. May her joy invited you to remember Christ's promises, to trust Him more deeply and to follow Him--even into places of hope and new life

"And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have see His glory, full of grace and truth."--John 1: 14

~~~obituary and funeral leaflet courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings and leaflets on file in the Public Library, Blair, Nebraska ~~~

FindaGrave #292637971