Helen Gardner

Helen Gardner, 95, passed away December 25, 2019. She was a member of St. Luke Catholic Church, where she was a Eucharistic Minister at St. Luke’s, and also at St. Elizabeth’s and Memorial Hospitals. Helen felt privileged to be able to take ashes on Ash Wednesday to the patients there.

She delivered Meals on Wheels, where she met some wonderful people who became friends for many years after that. She did the quilting on baby quilts at her home. She had many great times with the other quilters at the Hall every Thursday, after her retirement from St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in 1987.

Helen worked at Reebs Dairy Center for 20 years. She loved her work and her co-workers. Her boss, Carl Tempel, called her “Hellion.” Things ran smoothly and it was a pleasure coming to work. Helen was also an avid card player, belonging to many clubs over the years. She outlived many of her friends and card players. Currently, she was playing in three clubs, one of them being all of her daughter’s friends, who adopted her even before her daughter died in 2014.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband, Edward “Red” Gardner who died in 1970; and her daughter Alice Mae Gardner who died in 2014; her brother, William C. Meyer (Mildred); in-laws, Marie and Jake Wehmeier, and Mae and Eddie Koeher; niece, Betty (Cordell) Meyer; nephew, William Meyer; great niece, Mary Campbell—all of whom she loved dearly.

Helen is survived by a niece, Margaret Meyer; nephew, Paul (Brenda) Meyer and Ret. Adm. James (Irma) Koehr; great nephews, David Meyer, Brian (Debbie) Meyer, Mark Meyer, and Marge Meyer; great nieces, Rose (Tim) Park and Susan (Jeff) Wickell; and great great nieces, Lily and Layla Meyer.

A special thanks to Donna and Willie Heuffmann, with whom she shared all holiday meals and Willie’s famous barbeque.

At Helen’s request, there will be no visitation. She will be cremated with burial of ashes at the chapel at Walnut Hill Cemetery on January 15, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. with Father Mauch officiating.