Ardis Loraine (Westphal) Branstine passed away at her home in Liberal, Kansas on Sunday January 26, 2025, following a long illness.

Ardis was born on September 26, 1937, in State Center, Iowa, to Ferdinand and Myrtle Westphal. She grew up surrounded by her two siblings, many cousins, aunts , uncles, and farm animals that she occasionally adopted as pets, such as Gertrude the goose.

While still in her teens, she moved to Des Moines to work, first as an advertising artist for the Utica department store and then as an insurance underwriter for Aetna. In Des Moines, she was swept off her feet by a dashing pilot named Marvin Branstine. They were married on July 6, 1957, in Lawton, Oklahoma. Ardis and Marvin settled in Liberal, Kansas, near the ranch where Marvin had grown up. Together, they raised a family of five children. They also founded, built and ran Branstine Flying Services (a fixed-based operation) in Liberal, Kansas.There, Ardis especially enjoyed selling small airplanes as a Piper dealership. Over the years, she and Marvin met many interesting people who flew into Liberal from all over the world, including celebrities such as astronaut Steve Oswald, coach Bobby Knight, and singer George Jones.

After retiring from Branstine Flying Service, Ardis worked for several years at JC Penney, where she put her artistic talent to use by helping customers choose the perfect home goods. She and Marvin also greatly enjoyed the opportunity to travel together, notably to the Grand Canyon and Washington DC, as well as to visit their children and grandchildren in Texas and Wisconsin.

Ardis was a talented and prolific artist. She especially loved painting and building sculptures from clay. Her painting “The Voyage of Bran” won the People’s Choice Award at the Seward County Community College’s 2004 Spring Art Exhibit. And if that wasn’t enough to keep any ten people busy, she was a quilter, an avid gardener, a fabulous baker (especially pies), and an exceptional storyteller.

Central to her life was her steadfast devotion to Jesus Christ. As a member of Grace Lutheran Church in Liberal, she taught generations of kids in Sunday school and served on the Altar Guild and the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League.

Ardis is survived by her five children: Mishelle (Ward) Allen, Mark Branstine, Zoann (Jude Shavlik) Branstine, Michael (Jessica) Branstine, and Matthew (Debbie) Branstine; her grandchildren: Kendra Pickrel, Shannon Barber, Ward Allen, Shannon Greer, Anthony Branstine, Gary Richardson, Rebecca Ramsey, Margaret Shavlik, Portia Neal, Nikolaus Branstine, Renate Branstine, Cianna Branstine, and Sophia Branstine; and her great-grandchildren; Ashtyn Allen, Ward Allen III, Jordan Moore, Alaina Cox, Axel Neal, Valerie Neal, Emily Richardson, and Dorothy Branstine; as well as her sister-in-law Carol McDaniel and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband Marvin Branstine, her parents, Ferdinand and Myrtle Westphal, her brother Larry Westphal, her sister Eileen Schossow, her siter-in-law Janet Westphal, and her brother-in-laws John “Moe” Branstine, Doyall Schossow, and Jerry McDaniel.

A memorial service will be held at a later date.

Miller Mortuary is in charge of the arrangements.