Carol Jean Gardner

Carol graduated from DuPont High School and continued her education and graduated from Ohio University with a Bachelor of Arts/Sciences in Social Welfare. She retired in 2010, West Virginia Department of Health and Human Services with more than 30 years of service. In her early years at DHHR she worked as a home finder for children. In the latter years she was part of FACTS, the department’s Family and Children Tracking System. Charter member in 1998 of Majestic Mountains Needle Arts, the Charleston chapter of The Embroiderers’ Guild of America, Inc. (EGA). Carol served in several officer roles at MMNA including many years as Regional Representative, in which capacity she traveled to regional board meetings throughout six states in the Tennessee Valley Region. She also was a member of the Tri-Area Needle Arts EGA chapter in Huntington. Carol attended several regional and national EGA seminars, local retreats and classes.

Carol was raised in Kanawha Salines Presbyterian Church, Malden and was a current member of First Presbyterian Church, Charleston, where she had served as a member of the Board of Deacons. She also attended Circle meetings, Bible Study classes and Presbyterian Women events.

She served several years as a member of the Board of Trustees of Shepherd’s Center of Charleston, West Virginia, Inc. (SCOC), securing speakers/programs for the monthly luncheon meetings. SCOC is a multi-faith coalition of Charleston area congregations in ministry with senior adults.

Carol worked with her mother Jean for years on the Friends of Sojourner’s Style Show fundraiser. She continued supporting the Style Show for many years after Jean died by selling tickets, acquiring door prizes, decorating for the event, etc. Carol and her friends often made up a whole table at the fundraiser. Sojourners, a shelter for homeless women and families, is a program of the YWCA in Charleston. She also had other interests, such as circus, theatre and musicals, British drama, reading, travel, horse racing. She also was a part of the Dining Dames-special friends who met weekly for dinner.

Carol was preceded in death by her mother and father, Harry Gardner and Jean Parrish Gardner, and infant brother, Thomas Jefferson Gardner.

Surviving are her brother, Edward (Deborah) Gardner; nieces, Rachel Gardner Talbert (Eduardo) and Katherine Parrish Gardner (Chris Smith); great nephews, Aubrey Smith, Asa Gardner Smith, EJ Talbert, Sebastian Talbert, and Owen Talbert. As well as faithful caregiver and friend, Jessica Morriston.

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday January 14, 2023 at Stevens & Grass Funeral Home, Malden with Pastor Richard Thompson officiating. Burial will follow at Sunset Memorial Park, South Charleston.

A visitation with family and friends will be held one hour prior to the service.

The online guest book can be accessed at www.stevensandgrass.com.

In lieu of flowers, the family request that donations be sent to one of the following charities: YWCA, 1426 Kanawha Blvd. E., Charleston, WV 25301. In the Memo line, state in Memory of Carol Gardner. To designate support of Sojourners, the payee would be YWCA Sojourners. To designate support for the YWCA generally, the payee would be YWCA; The Embroiderers’ Guild of America National headquarters, 1205 East Washington Street Suite 104, Louisville, KY 40206 or Shepherd’s Center of Charleston, P.O. Box 4171, Charleston, WV 25364-4171.