Ardith Taylor Polk

Ardith Taylor "Puppy" Polk, age 94, of Center Ridge passed away Friday, July 27, 2012. He was born Nov. 12, 1917 in Center Ridge, Ark. to Jasper Allen and Linner Ethel Mahan Polk. Ardith joined the Army when he was 20 years old with his first assignment being Jefferson Barracks in St. Louis, Mo.; he then went onto Ft. McDowell, San Francisco, Calif. From there he was shipped to bases in Ft. Derussy and Ft. Ruger, both located in the territory of Hawaii. The Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor during this tour of duty. He served time at Guadal-Canal in the Solomon Islands before his next tour at Ft. Richardson, Alaska. The army then sent him back to Schofield Barracks in the territory of Hawaii; during this tour he made all grades of enlisted service as well as Chief Warrant Officer. He was then stationed at Ft. Jackson, S.C., and shipped to Korea. His other tours included Ft. Lee, Va., Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville, Ala., Germany, Ft. Chaffee, Ark., and Ft. Sill, Okla. Ardith retired as Chief Warrant Officer with an honorable discharge in 1964 with more than 23 years of service to his country. Ardith was a lifetime member of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association and the DAV. He was also a member of the V.F.W. and NAUS. He was a supporter of the Center Ridge Volunteer Fire Department and a member of the Center Ridge Cemetery Perpetual Trust Fund for 22 years, served as a board member for two; and secretary for 20 years. He was a historian, researching the history of Center Ridge as well as the surrounding communities; having information published in the book "Conway County: Our Land Our Home Our People." Survivors include his son, James Allen Polk and wife Rhonda of Springdale; daughter-in-law, Sula Polk of Windy Point; grandchildren, Danita Eustice, Paula Trafford, Alvin Polk, Taylor Polk, Jamianne Johnson, Brittany Nelson; 13 great-grandchildren and nine great-great-grandchildren. Mr. Polk is also survived by many loving nieces, nephews, friends, and church family. He was preceded in death by a son, Artel Lee Polk, Artel's mother, Bertie Bryant Flowers; three grandchildren, daughter-in-law Andrea Rossi Dobbins; brother Laudis, Bill, Glyn, and Doris Polk; sisters-in-law Dewel, Mary, Montine, and Gertrude Polk, and his beloved wife of 60 years, Rosebelle Muliwai Tura DeMello. The family would like to invite everyone to join them in a celebration of Ardith's life, to remember his smile, laughter and joy at 10 a.m. Tuesday, July 31, at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Center Ridge with Father Lenard Tuozzolo, CSSp. officiating with burial at Center Ridge Cemetery by Harris Funeral Home of Morrilton. The family will receive friends from 6–7 p.m. with a Rosary to follow at 7 p.m. on Monday, July 30, at Harris Funeral Home in Morrilton. The family would like to express a special "thanks" to Mary Jackson, and in lieu of flowers memorials may be made to the Center Ridge Cemetery Perpetual Trust Fund. Online gueastbook: www.harrisfuneralhomes.net.