Ardith Jean (Gatewood) Peak, 80, Fortified with the Sacraments of the Catholic Church and surrounded by her loving family, passed peacefully from this earth on June 25th at the family home in rural Bendena, Kansas. Ardith was born to Arthur and Vivian (Elliott) Gatewood on October 24th, 1944, and raised on a farm in the Circleville, Ks. community until the family moved to Atchison in 1953. At the age of 15 she met the tall, handsome man of her dreams, Thomas (Tom) L. Peak and instantly smitten, married him October 27, 1962 at Saint Benedict's Church in Atchison shortly after graduating Atchison High School. They shared 62 loving years together. He survives of the home.

Ardith was a devout Catholic and attended Mass daily until her health failed. She had a gift of music and shared her distinctive voice with many local choirs, beginning at the age of 14 with the First Christian Church Choir and later with New Life Assembly, Atchison Women's Choir, Riverbend Concert Choir, Saint Joseph's Choir, Saint Benedict's in Bendena and her music ministry with her family, Kin to Him. She loved old hymns and gospel music, loved to sing harmony and played piano and autoharp.

Ardith loved spending time with her family, hosted holiday family dinners for decades and attended countless plays, recitals, birthday parties, ball games and graduations. In her younger years she enjoyed square dancing with Tom. She also enjoyed painting, sewing, quilting, embroidery, baking, watching wildlife and especially reading. She could always be found curled up in a blanket with a book in her hands. She was a sweet natured, kindhearted woman who made lifelong friends.

Ardith was mostly a homemaker but as her children grew older, she worked for Peak- Smith Auto Parts and more than ten years as an activities assistant at Medicalodges Atchison.

Ardith and Tom lost their firstborn, Tommy Shawn Peak, to SIDS on October 3, 1963. They raised five more children, twins Sharon (Wayne) Sellers, rural Doniphan County, Shannon (Jerry) Pickman, Saint Joe, Mo., Darrell Peak, Atchison, Jeremy (D'Ete) Peak, Lancaster and Kerry (Marty) Dugger, rural Atchison, She is a proud grandmother of eleven grandchildren, Camille (Micah) Hollingsworth, Caleb (Jessica) Sellers, Jordan (Kaylee) Sellers, Nicole (Spencer) Pummel, Nathan (Alyssa) Pickman, Bethany Pickman, Lilly White, Thomas and Hanna Peak and Regan and Rylan Dugger.

Ardith also has eleven great grandchildren, Maive and Margo Hollingsworth, Carter and Ava Sellers, Robbie Sellers, Maverick, Barrett, Michael and Watson Pummel, Theodore and Genevieve Pickman and two more due in August.

In addition to her husband Tom of the home she is survived by a brother, David Gatewood, Atchison.

Ardith courageously endured many health challenges including years of home dialysis while continuing to work before receiving a kidney transplant twelve years ago. She and her family want to extend a special thank you to Dr. Scott Brown, Mosaic Cancer Care Center, and all of her doctors and staff including her transplant team at KUMC and KUMC Cancer Center.

A prayer service will begin at 5:30 p.m. Sunday June 29th at the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home with visitation to follow until 7:30 p.m. Mass of Christian burial will be on Monday, June 30, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. at St. Benedict's Church in Bendena, KS. She will be laid to rest in Mt. Calvary Cemetery in Atchison. Memorials may be left to St. Benedict's Church Hall Renovation or Midwest Transplant Network in care of the Arensberg-Pruett Funeral Home.