Devoted mother of nine children, Ardis Joy Denton Marcotte, 88, died peacefully in her Buffalo, NY, home on Nov. 4, 2021.
Ardis was born to Vincent and Harriet Denton on May 11, 1933, in Kerkhoven, MN. She was raised with her sister Marcia in LaCrosse, WI, where she graduated from Central High School. In 1953, she married Henry J. Marcotte, Jr., a news broadcaster whose career would take them to New York State.
Ardis had a gentle soul, brilliant mind and prodigious vocabulary. She was a talented writer and avid reader. She loved music and theater, often traveling to New York City to catch a Broadway show. Ardis was known to love classic musicals like My Fair Lady and Oklahoma, and would enjoy singing on any occasion, particularly at campfire singalongs.
Among her proudest achievements was her delayed pursuit of a college degree. In 1988, she graduated summa cum laude with a BA in Secondary English Education from the State University of New York at New Paltz. She continued as an employee of SUNY New Paltz until her retirement in 2003.
In her later years, Ardis was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease. She received tremendous support from her dear friend Allison Barton of Highland, N.Y. In 2013, Ardis moved to Buffalo, where she was lovingly cared for by her daughters Carrie and Jane, and Jane’s wife Cristina D’Angelo for the remainder of her life.
Ardis is survived by eight children: James Denton (Robbie) Marcotte, Michael V. (Denise) Marcotte, David H. (Kady) Marcotte, Mary C. Marcotte, Anne A. Marcotte, Carrie A. Marcotte, Jane E. (Cristina) Marcotte, Megan E. (Liang) Marcotte, and 11 grandchildren, and six great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her parents, her son Christopher J. Marcotte, and her sister Marcia Denton Powell of La Crosse, who died in 2006. Marcia had seven children, nine grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
No funeral is planned. Ardis’s ashes will be buried in Forest Lawn cemetery in Buffalo. The family plans a celebration of her life in May of 2022. Please consider contributions in Ardis’ name to the Alzheimer’s Association.
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