Luva "Mary" Vandarwarka, 85, Buffalo, SD, died Monday, October 6, 2008, at the Mott Good Samaritan Center in Mott, ND.

Following her wishes, Mary's body has been cremated. A private family service will be held at a later date.

Mary was born Amee Johannson in Sioux City, IA, on June 18, 1923, and was adopted at 11 months old by Albert and Katheriane Mae Cady. She was raised and schooled in Camp Crook. Mary was married to William Ruona on April 28, 1941. They lived near Buffalo. She was later married to Tandy Carney. She worked as a waitress in Belle Fourche at the Watts Caf?. Following Tandy's death, Mary married Almond "Al" H. Vandarwarka in South Sioux City, NE, on March 3, 1971. They lived in Sioux City where Mary worked for Zenith and Agropack until her retirement in 1977. Over the next several years, they lived in Belle Fourche, Salem, OR, and moved back to Nisland in the 1990's.

She is survived by two sons, Sherman (Karen) Ruona, Canon City, CO, and Alvin (Johanna) Ruona, Buffalo, SD; two daughters, Judy (Kirk) Askin, Broadus, MT, and Jane Peddrotti, Camp Crook, SD; eight grandchildren, Lolita, Doyle, Kandi, Justin, Nicholas, TaiLynn, Shayne, and Duayne; and sixteen great-grandchildren Kathlina, Clancy, Peydon, Emma, Amanda, Kalena, Beau, Tyrell, Shyann, Brandi, Kasey, James, Anna Kate, James, Hewbert, Kole, Gracie; and two great-great-grandchildren, Julian and Alivia.

She was preceded in death by her parents; three husbands, William, Tandy and Almond; one son, Dwaine, and one great-granddaughter, Tesa.