Ellen 'Chris' Gardner

ELLEN V. (CHRIS) GARDNER DIED ON OCTOBER 29, 2015 IN FORT MYERS, FLORIDA. SHE WAS BORN ON OCTOBER 23, 1920 IN KIMBALL NEBRASKA TO DANISH IMMIGRANTS, PEDAR AND VALBORG CHRISTENSEN AND WAS THE YOUNGEST OF THEIR FOUR CHILDREN.CHRIS WAS PRECEDED IN DEATH BY HER HUSBAND, JOHN C. GARDNER, SON JOHN G. GARDNER, TWIN INFANT DAUGHTERS AND SON-IN-LAW MICHAEL S. HANSEN (ELLEN M.GARDNER). SHE IS SURVIVED, DEEPLY LOVED AND ADMIRED BY HER DAUGHTER, ELLEN M. GARDNER. ALSO SURVIVED BY HER SISTER-IN-LAW ANN NICKODEM, NIECES AND NEPHEWS WHO LOVE TO BE WITH THEIR AUNT CHRIS AND DEAR, CLOSE FRIENDS.CHRIS WAS A RED HEADED DANE AND ACCORDINGLY SPIRITED, FUN LOVING, STRONG, DETERMINED AND RESILIENT. SHE ALSO WAS SELF EFFACING, VERY CARING AND KIND. AND SHE TOOK EFFORT TO BE TASTEFULLY DRESSED AND ALWAYS A LADY.UPON HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION, CHRIS WAS EAGER TO SEE THE WORLD BEYOND HER SMALL HOME TOWN. WITH THE GOAL OF BECOMING A MUSIC TEACHER, SHE ATTENDED GREELEY COLORADO STATE TEACHERS COLLEGE. BUT THE FINANCIAL REALITIES OF THE GREAT DEPRESSION CUT THAT SHORT AFTER HER FIRST YEAR. SHE HEADED TO DENVER, MOVED INTO A BOARDING HOUSE AND WORKED AS AN EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT IN CITY GOVERNMENT AND THE MILITARY.CHRIS SOON MET HER FUTURE HUSBAND, JOHN C. GARDNER, WHEN HE WAS IN DENVER PROCESSING OUT OF THE MILITARY. THEY MARRIED AND SETTLED IN JOHN’S HOME TOWN OF HORICON. CHRIS WAS A LOVING MOTHER AND ATTENTIVE HOME MAKER. HOWEVER HER DAILY GOAL WAS TO “GET OUT OF THE HOUSE” AND SEE WHAT WAS HAPPENING! SHE WAS UP AND ABOUT EARLY EACH DAY AND OFTEN JOINED FRIENDS FOR AN EXERCISE WALK OR A SWIM AT THE “Y”. SHE WAS AN AVID GOLFER AND MEMBER OF OLD HICKORY COUNTRY CLUB. SHE ALWAYS WAS EAGER AND READY TO TRAVEL. SHE WAS AN ESTEEMED MEMBER OF THE “SHOULDA GIRLS” AND THE “HARDEE GIRLS”. AND, SHE WAS A FAITHFUL ACTIVE MEMBER OF ST. MALACHY CHURCH IN HORICON.SHE WAS RESILIENT IN THE FACE OF GREAT PERSONAL LOSS AND GRIEF AND THE DEBILITATING DEMANDS OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE. SHE KEPT GOING WITH SPIRITED DETERMINATION AND A DRIVING DESIRE FOR INDEPENDENCE UNTIL THE LAST HOURS OF HER LIFE. SHE WAS CONSIDERED A ROLE MODEL BY ALL WHO CARED FOR HER.SHE WILL BE MIGHTILY MISSED.A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Wednesday, November 4 at 12 noon at Sacred Heart Parish in Horicon with the Rev. Fr. Michael Petrie presiding. A visitation will be held on Wednesday, November 4 from 10 a.m. until the time of the service at 12 noon. Burial will follow at St. Malachy Cemetery in Horicon.MEMORIALS ARE SUGGESTED TO:SACRED HEART PARISH950 WASHINGTON STREETHORICON, WI 53032DUBIN ALZHEIMERS RESOURCE CENTER12468 BRANTLEY COMMONS COURTFORT MYERS, FL 33907