With deep love and sorrow, we announce the peaceful passing of Ardith Patricia Beley on July 15, 2025. She was surrounded by her daughters, close friends, and family, and held in prayer.

Ardith was born in Edmonton to Helen Dorothy and James Clifford McGlynn and raised alongside her brothers, Kevin and Doug, all of whom predeceased her. Her early life held pain and challenges, and she carried wounds that were rarely spoken aloud. But through it all, Ardith developed a quiet strength, a fierce independence, and an unshakable devotion to her faith and her family.

She attended St. Francis Xavier High School and worked for many years at W.W. Arcade, a job she was proud of, and the place where she met the love of her life, David Beley. They were married on September 2, 1978, at Saint Barbara Russian Orthodox Cathedral in Edmonton, one of the happiest days of her life.

David was a founding member of St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church. Soon after, Ardith joined him there, becoming a steadfast and beloved member of the parish for nearly 50 years. Her faith wasn’t pretentious, it was steady, personal, and profound. She was often heard quietly praying to herself. In her later years, she embraced the practice of fasting with deep commitment. During her cancer treatment in 2024, Father Vincent lovingly encouraged her to ease her fast out of care for her health, a blessing she received with humility and trust.

Together, she and David raised two daughters, Veronica and Sarah. Ardith was a devoted and fiercely proud mother who never missed a chance to cheer her daughters on. When Sarah walked across the stage at her university convocation, Ardith’s proud voice rang out across the hall, so loudly, the entire room turned to look. She showed up in full force, full volume, full heart.

Ardith was wonderfully quirky, bold, and full of personality. She had a big voice, a big laugh, and never hesitated to make herself known in a room. She loved colourful sweaters, chunky necklaces, and anything vibrant. She often joked about burning a pot of water and never pretended to be a good cook, but her daughters never once doubted they were deeply loved. She had strong opinions and didn’t shy away from sharing them, whether about politics, food, or what someone was wearing on TV. She encouraged her daughters to be exactly who they were, no matter how quirky, outspoken, or different. She never took herself too seriously and wasn’t afraid to laugh at herself.

She found joy in simple things: a blooming rose, a bird outside her window, liver and onions, or a quiet afternoon with talk radio. She especially loved palm trees, they reminded her of Hawaii, her happy place, and enjoyed quiet shopping trips just to take in the colours of the world around her.

She adored her yellow house, the one she had lived in since she was 12, and stayed there long after most would have left. It wasn’t perfect, but it was hers, filled with memories, photos, and love. The walls were lined with her daughters’ school art and childhood photos: sun-faded crayon drawings, construction paper cards, carefully preserved; never forgotten.

She and David traveled to Disneyland, Niagara Falls, and Hawaii (three times). After his passing, she made regular visits to Vancouver and Seattle to see her daughters, treasuring every moment.

She was especially close to her father, James McGlynn, and her mother-in-law, Joan Beley, with whom she shared weekly lunches for decades. She adored her nephew Peter Beley, his wife Chelsea, and their daughter Elia Joan. Her love for her family was never quiet, it ran deep.

On November 26, 1995, Ardith lost David suddenly at just 44 years old. She saw him shortly before he passed and said, with her familiar humour and tenderness: “See you later, alligator.” And David replied, smiling: “In a while, crocodile.” It turned out to be a very long while. Ardith carried the grief of his loss every day after, never fully healing, but continuing on with quiet resilience, humour, and faith.

In 2024, she was diagnosed with cancer. True to her nature, she fought without complaint, and she beat it.

Ardith passed peacefully in the ICU, with her daughters, Sarah and Veronica, by her side, along with Sarah’s husband, Tipo, and loving friends and family who surrounded her in prayer. Her daughters never left her side for three days and nights, holding her hand through her final moments. In her final days, Ardith received both Holy Communion and the sacrament of Holy Unction, lovingly administered by Father Seraphim Bohatskyi. These sacred moments brought her deep peace and spiritual comfort. Surrounded by prayer, family, and the familiar rhythms of her Orthodox faith, she was able to prepare for her journey home with grace and strength.

She is survived by her daughters, Sarah and Veronica; her son-in-law, Tipo; her nephew Peter, his wife Chelsea, and their daughter Elia Joan; her extended family; and her beloved church community at St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church, all of whom will miss her deeply.

A Panikhida (Memorial Service) will be held on Wednesday, July 23 at 7 PM at St. Herman of Alaska Orthodox Church (9930 167 St NW, Edmonton, AB T5P 3W4), followed by an all-night vigil with psalms read in her honour. The funeral will take place on Thursday, July 24 at 11 AM, followed by a light lunch reception in the church hall. Ardith will be laid to rest at Northern Lights Cemetery (15203 Campbell Road NW, Edmonton, AB T6V 1B8), beside her beloved David.

Memory eternal, Ardith. Took you long enough, crocodile.

If friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to the Misericordia Hospital https://covenantfoundation.akaraisin.com/ui/DonateNow/donations/start.