Ardice Ann Hill Austby

Ardice Ann Hill Austby was born in Glendive, Montana on January 30, 1934, to Lester and Alna (Boje) Hill, joining her older sister Joyce. Ardice came into this world with red hair and full of spice. Ardice lived out her last few years at the Wibaux County Nursing Home where she passed away at the age of 92 Friday, July 10, 2026. Ardice spent her early years on the homestead in Bloomfield, Montana receiving her elementary years then moving to Glendive and graduating from Dawson County High School. Ardice married Donald “Budz” Austby and to this union, Hal Donald, Wade Douglas, Vicki Jo and Todd Alan were born. Ardice made her home and raised her family in Wibaux, Montana. She worked at the Tastee Freeze where she was known for her Frito pies, picked potatoes during the harvest season, and for the Nelson family at the Palace Café as a waitress for many years. Her grandchildren will tell you they loved getting to visit her because that would mean a hot roast beef sandwich and homemade tomato soup. She later retired to help take care of her aging parents. Ardice, Ardy, Mom and Grandma loved with her entire heart and would pray for her family every day. She had an open door to anyone, and you never had to worry about leaving her house hungry. She was the casserole queen for that reason. If you ever visited her, she would tell you how beautiful, how perfect and how much she loved her family. Even her friends, her kids and grandkids friends referred to her as Grandma Ardice. Some of the things she loved was laundry. She would be doing laundry all day and all night. Her house was always clean, and her floor would shine from mopping and waxing. She loved the National Enquirer, Country Weekly, People Magazine, and Women’s World. She kept the pile of magazines and would take them to the family camping trip at The Pines on Fort Peck Lake each year. She was good at yelling from the top of the hill telling everyone they were too far in the water and needed a life jacket. Ardice was a wealth of knowledge, if you ever needed a family tree, you called Ardice. Even until the end, her mind was sharp! She loved purple, getting her hair done weekly, and she was always put together. If you needed a cough drop or a cert, her purse was full. One of the grandkids; favorite memories was after the Thanksgiving meal, the table would be cleared, she would take out the Sears and JC Penny catalogs and let the kids circle everything they would loke. Ardice loved the holidays because she would be with her family. Ardice loved Country Music and for her 80th Birthday she went to a Blake Shelton concert. She kept up with all the celebrities, Garth Brooks being one of her favorites. When it came to food, you have never met a chocoholic like Ardice. She loved chocolate cake with chocolate ice cream and added hot fudge to the top along with a shrimp dinner with tartar sauce. She was known for her baked beans, pink salad, goulash, perfectly chopped head of lettuce, ranch dressing, casseroles, and scotcharoos with no frosting. Ardice is survived by her children, Hal Austby, Wade (Cathy) Austby, Vicki (Jim) Dykins and Todd (Julie) Austby. Grandchildren, Mindy Van Vleet, Staci (Russ) Schell, Naomi (Steve) Grove, Alissa (Tracy) Welch, Jay (Lindsay) Dykins, Amanda Field, Kayla (Robert) Kremers. Great Grandchildren, Vanesa (Kyle) Graham, Keaton Schell, Ahnika Schell, Zayda Grove, Aubrie Dykins, Cruz Dykins, Crosby Dykins, Amya Welch, Jayley Welch, Cheryl Grigsby, Jewelia (Adam) Real, Jase Grigsby, Tristan Field, Mia Kremers, Aliyah Kremers, Cohen Kremers and Cambri Kremers. Great-Great Grandchildren, Isaac Real, Amara Graham and Shawn Graham as well as numerous nieces and nephews. As Ardice would say, “It’s time to go home and get busy”. Thank you to the Wibaux County Nursing Home for her care these past years. We always joked about how they should put her on the payroll as she would direct traffic and greet all the visitors.

Ardice Ann Hill Austby

January 30, 1934 - July 10, 2026

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Ardice Ann Hill Austby

January 30, 1934 - July 10, 2026

What We Do

Flowers & Gifts

Plan Ahead

About Us

Resources

Obituaries

Grief & Healing

Contact Information

365 Days of Grief Support