MCFARLAND - Ardell Cardarelle, age 96, passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 28, 2026, at Drumlin Reserve Memory Care, surrounded by family.

Ardell was born on February 25, 1930, in Neillsville, Wis., to Hada (Wren) and Louis Cardarelle. In 1942, his family moved to West Bend, Wis., where he attended elementary, middle and high school.

Ardell proudly served his country in the United States Air Force from 1947 to 1950. During his service, he was stationed in both Japan and Germany during a significant period in post-war history. Ever since his time in Japan, he would not eat rice, a stance he held to his last day. He did, however, enjoy his time in Germany.

Following his military service, Ardell worked briefly for American Express before spending the majority of his career as an over-the-road truck driver, working for multiple companies over the years. It was a profession that suited his independent spirit and strong work ethic. In his free time, he enjoyed fishing, watching westerns and fishing shows, and spending time on word searches and crossword puzzles.

Last year, Ardell was selected to take part in Dream Flight’s program, where he was given a flight around the area in a restored biplane. It brought out one of the biggest smiles his family had seen in a long time, and it was something he talked about often.

Ardell was married to Eunice (Amera) Cardarelle, the love of his life, for 40 years, sharing a life centered on family and commitment.

He is survived by his children, Lisa (Cardarelle) Galloway, Jeff (Jody) Cardarelle and Greg Cardarelle; stepchild, David (Cathy) Cook; grandchildren, Samantha Cook, Tyler Kohlmann, David Kohlmann, Laurence Lee, Jonathan Cook and Fallon Cardarelle; sister, Janel Wiesner of Brownsville, Wis.; sister-in-law, Janette Cardarelle of Evansville, Ind.; and many extended family members.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Eunice; parents, Hada and Louis; brothers and sisters-in-law, Donald (Janette), Melvin (Lucille), and Dennis; brother-in-law, Ollie Wiesner; and stepchildren, Phillip Cook and Lynnette (Cook) Lee. Lynnette is survived by her husband, Doug Lee.

Ardell will be remembered for his resilience, dedication to his family and the life experiences he carried with him from a generation that lived through profound change and service.

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff at Drumlin Reserve Memory Care in Cottage Grove and to Agrace HospiceCare for the extraordinary care and compassion they provided to Ardell over the past several years.

A memorial gathering will be held at BIBINGER’S BAR AND RESTAURANT, 3747 Cedar Creek Road, Slinger, Wis., on Sunday, April 19, 2026, from 10 a.m. until 12 noon.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Agrace HospiceCare, 5395 E. Cheryl Pkwy, Madison, WI 53711. Online condolences may be made at www.gundersonfh.com.

Gunderson East

Funeral & Cremation Care
5203 Monona Drive
(608) 221-5420

Ardell Raymond Cardarelle

February 25, 1930 - March 28, 2026

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