Ardell Stafford, 76, died Saturday, November 21, 2020 in a Bismarck Hospital.

Ardell's and his wife Jean's joint funeral services will be held on Saturday, July 24, 2021 at 11 a.m. at First Lutheran Church in Harvey Interment will follow in Sunnyside Cemetery, Harvey, ND.

Ardell Ira Stafford was born on October 25, 1944 in Harvey, ND.  He was the nineth of eleven children born to Marion (Stendahl) and Jim Stafford.  He grew up in Harvey and attended Harvey High School, completing his GED in 1967.

He was drafted into the Army on September 8, 1965 and did his basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.  Ardell was trained as an armament mechanic at the Aberdeen Maryland Proving Grounds. He served in the Vietnam War in 1966 and 1967 receiving the National Defense Service Medal, Marksman (Rifle) Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, and a Vietnam Campaign Medal.  He was an ordinance man and armed Army aircraft.  Ardell was honorably discharged on September 7, 1967 at Fort Riley, Kansas.

After returning to Harvey after his discharge, Ardell worked for a year at the S & L Store.  He joined the Soo Line Railroad in 1973 as a brakeman.  He retired as a conductor from the Canadian Pacific Railroad in 2006.

Ardell married Jean Stenseth on June 2, 1973 in Williston, ND.  The couple lived in Harvey where they raised a daughter, Becky.  After retirement they moved to Bismarck and with residence in the Baptist Health Care Center.

Ardell was a lifetime member of the First Lutheran Church in Harvey, ND.  He was also a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post and the Wells Eagles Aerie, both in Harvey.

Ardell liked playing cards, especially with his brothers.  He enjoyed hunting, fishing, and going to the casino.

Ardell is survived by his wife, Jean of Bismarck; daughter and son-in-law, Becky and Thomas Lampp of New Orleans, LA; three sisters, Janice Neuenschwander of Bismarck, Mavis (Cam) Rusch of Fargo, Linda Stafford of Minneapolis, MN; brothers, Florian "Tom" (Sharon) Stafford of Carmel, Indiana, Randy (Val) of Wells, MN; numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins; sisters-in-law, Mary Jo Stafford, Fessenden; Cheryl Stafford of Harvey.

Ardell was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Lowell "Luke", Norman "Dutch", Wayne "Ves", Nathan "Nip", Darrell "Cheta"; brother-in-law, Joe Neuenschwander.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to the Harvey Veterans of Foreign Wars Post of Harvey or a Veteran's organization of your choice.