Obituary for Mary Bardwell

Services will be held on Wednesday, August 2, 2023, at 2:00 p.m. at Cease Family Funeral Home Chapel in Bagley, Minnesota. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Interment will be held at Elim Lutheran Cemetery near Clearbrook, Minnesota at a later date. 

Mary was born on June 27, 1948, at Cottonwood, Arizona, the daughter of Jack and Zella Gill. As a child, Mary traveled the world from base to base, to several places when her dad was in the Air Force. In the summertime, she spent time with her relatives in California.  While in California, she worked at a candy factory in Los Angeles. When she was on an Air Force base in Omaha, she met Wayne Bardwell. They were married on August 16, 1969, in Clearbrook, Minnesota. The couple were blessed with two children, Jeff and Patty.  They lived in Lake City for a while and then moved to Clearbrook area   and Wayne worked road construction. In 1979, the couple bought a plane and did crop spraying.  In 1990, Mary and Wayne started dabbling in breeding Ostriches.  At one time, they had a herd of over 100 birds.  They also got their hands into Potbellied Pigs.  In 2000, they got out of the breeding business and Wayne went over the road trucking, which Mary joined him, spending winters south.  After retirement, they went full time in their motorhome, spending summers in Clearbrook and winters in Arizona.  Mary was famous for making homemade buns which everyone loved.  She was also notorious for her Lefse and cheesecake.  She would always have goodies around for anyone who came to visit.  Mary enjoyed sewing, quilting, baking, canning and animals.  She loved fishing, especially ice fishing.  They would often spend weekends on the ice and even would take their plane out on the ice and make, make- shift tents off the wing of the plane.  Mary was well-known for her infectious laugh, that made everyone smile.  Mary didn’t have an enemy in the world and was everyone’s friend. 

Mary is survived by her husband – Wayne Bardwell of Clearbrook, Minnesota

Daughter – Patty (Erik) Erdahl of Warren, Minnesota

Grandchildren – Austin (Megan) Erdahl of Bemidji, Minnesota; Dallas Erdahl of Warren, Minnesota; Madison Bardwell of Missoula, Montana; and Allyson Lund of Missoula, Montana

Daughter-in-law Heidi Bardwell is Missoula, Montana and her aunt – Eleanor Vega of California.

Mary was preceded in death by her parents; her son – Jeff Bardwell; Her in-law’s – Russell and Ruby Bardwell; and her brother – Melvin Summers.

Messages of condolence may be sent to ceasefuneralhome.com

A part of Phyllis’ heart was taken when Joe died on Monday, March 10, 2008. She continued to live on the farm and take care of it until her health no longer allowed her to do so. 

Her limited sight from glaucoma and loss of hearing created challenges, but she managed to work around them. Phyllis loved to watch news programs, The Price is Right, and Wheel of Fortune. She also liked to do word search puzzles. Phyllis had a weather radio that she would check multiple times a day, “you never know when the forecast might change!” If you stopped by for a visit, you would need to be prepared to step into a sauna. The thermostat was unusually set at 80! The grass always needed to be mowed and branches and pine cones picked up, but if it was a little bit windy you could not go outside “because you might blow away.” 

The last two years had been a challenge as dementia took control of her mind and body. Phyllis lost her memory of loved ones and the ability to walk and take care of herself, but it was not able to take away her sense of humor or the gleam of mischief in her eyes. 

On the evening of Friday, December 2, 2022, as her daughter Joanie held her hands and sang Silent Night to her, Phyllis walked through the Golden Gates of Heaven, once again able to see and hear the voices of her husband, Joseph; daughter, Janice Marie; parents, Henry and Margaret; sister, Joyce; and her other family and friends. 

Phyllis has left a hole in the hearts of her daughter, Joan and husband Mark Lee of McIntosh; granddaughter, Rebecca Marie and husband, Keith Kleven of Minneapolis, MN; grandson, Joseph Marvin and wife, Kelly of Chicago, IL; and granddaughter, Samantha Louise and husband Kevin Caron of Sydney, Australia.  

Phyllis’ Confirmation Memory Verse: Philippians 1:2, “Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.”