Reginald Ardis Sr., a former president of the Lakeland NAACP branch and community activist, died early Sunday morning at age 74.
Ardis had long-term health issues and had been admitted into a rehabilitation center on June 13. His wife, Denai Porter Ardis, said he died on Father's Day.
Ardis is survived by his wife of 33 years, and their children: his daughter, AArica Ardis, and son Jeffery-Michael Ardis. He was predeceased by his son Reginald Ardis Jr.
Ardis Sr. would have wanted to be remembered for his desire to help others, particularly individuals who were told they would never get out of debt or own a home, his wife said.
"He was always trying to help somebody come up, rise up," she said.
Ardis was born at Bartow Hospital and raised in Lakeland. He was a lifelong member of Harmony Missionary Baptist Church, according to his wife. He graduated from William A. Rochelle High School in 1967 and was among the last graduating classes, as Lakeland High School had begun admitting Black students in 1967. His wife said he made the decision to stay at Rochelle, where he was quarterback on the football team.
Ardis' true athletic talent was in baseball. He was recruited on baseball scholarship to attend Manatee Junior College as its first Black player. Later, Ardis approached Florida Southern College's former athletic director, the late Hal Smeltzy, and demanded a scholarship. He shared this story with The Southern, the student newspaper of the college in a March 2021 article.
Ardis would become one of Florida Southern's first Black student-athletes, having his debut with the Mocs in the spring of 1971. During his time there, the Mocs won back-to-back national championships in 1971 and 1972.
After graduating college, one of Ardis' early jobs was working for Sears, Roebuck and Co. in the management division. He found himself at the leading edge of the computer age, according to his wife, traveling across the company's Southeast region to help new stores set up their computer systems and problem-shoot any technological glitches.
Finding his calling
Lakelanders came to best know Ardis for his strong community service and involvement, a handed-down Ardis family tradition from which he found his own personal direction.
AArica Ardis said her father bought his dream home in St. Petersburg in his 20s, only to wind up losing the house a year later — saying he had been scammed by the bank. This tragic event caused Ardis to change his career path.
"It was his driving force to go into real estate, so no one else got screwed over by a bank," AArica Ardis said. "He wanted them to know they could be successful and could have their dreams if they wanted to. Nothing could stop them from doing what they wanted if they tried and had the knowledge to do it."
Ardis started a mortgage and real estate company, Ardis Limited Inc. He began selling commercial real estate in 1990 and was among the few Black realtors in Polk County.
His wife recounted how he spent countless hours of his time counseling people on how to clean up their debt, raise their credit scores and save money for a home down payment. Once they purchased property, Denai Porter Ardis said her husband encouraged them to take his homeownership class so they knew how to upkeep and maintain a home — working with the Keystone Challenge Fund.
Another way he helped build the community was organizing and contributing to various events in Lakeland's Northwest District. He was a former president of the Rose Heights Elks Lodge before creating a community organization that sponsored Easter egg hunts, back-to-school supply drives and basket giveaways for Thanksgiving and Christmas.
One thing both family and friends recall is Ardis wore a suit, and usually a bow tie, every single day.
"He said he was most comfortable in a suit, and that you have to present yourself how you want to be treated," his wife said.
Ardis held himself in a very professional manner in how he ran meetings of the Lakeland NAACP branch, according to current president Terry Coney, who said he was an influence on his leadership style. Coney said he joined the NAACP leadership team because of Ardis.
Ardis served as president of the Lakeland NAACP branch from 2015 to 2021. He was an influential figure in getting Lakeland commissioners to approve moving the Confederate soldier statue out of Munn Park to Veterans Park, according to his wife.
A sports fanatic
In his spare time, Ardis was a sports fanatic, according to his daughter.
"He loved all sports. He even learned how to play hockey so he could watch and understand the [Tampa Bay] Lightning," she said, laughing.
He was a constant supporter of Florida sports teams, including the Tampa Rays, Tampa Buccaneers and could frequently be spotted attending athletic games at his alma mater.
Ardis was an amateur golfer himself, becoming a member of the Sunshine State Amateur Association. He helped found the Par and Birdie Club, an amateur Black golf association, according to his wife, and would frequently travel the state playing in tournaments.
"He had a saying, 'Golf is like life, you can learn a lot on the course,'" his wife said. "He liked the game of golf because he said it was a gentleman's game, where you are not playing against anyone but yourself."
He shared his love for golf by supporting First Tee, a Lakeland-based youth development organization for golf, and the national organization Par 3.
Ardis' public viewing will be June 29 from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Harmony Missionary Baptist Church, 1645 N. Webster Ave. in Lakeland. A funeral service will follow at 11 a.m.
Sara-Megan Walsh can be reached at swalsh@theledger.com or 863-802-7545. Follow on X @SaraWalshFl.
