Joyce Elaine Gardner

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2012, at 10:00 AM, Eternal Hills Memorial Park, 1999 El Camino Real, Oceanside, CA .

She was born August 3, 1924, in Underwood Iowa to H. Chris and JoHannah Nielsen. Upon graduating from High School and then Secretarial School she married Brian E. Gardner from Richmond, VA. Joyce was a homemaker, avid gardener, and enjoyed literature and working as a hospital volunteer. She held many administrative assistant positions throughout her life. She was known for her sense of humor, witty phrases, gentle nature, and loving ways.

Joyce is survived by her sister, Betty Krohn, and 5 children; Jeanette Dyckma, Brian Gardner Jr., Douglas Gardner, Debra (Gregory) Field, Lisa (Rick) Greenberg. She is also survived by 9 grandchildren; James (Kim) Dyckma Jr., Joleene (Steven J.) Smith, Jason (BrynAnne) Nielsen, Nicholas Gardner, Gregory (Jennifer) Field Jr., Matthew Field, Kristin Field, Marisa Greenberg, and Cody Greenberg. The 9 great-grandchildren are James, Devin and Brian Dyckma, Brandon and Nathan Smith, Hannah and Elliott Nielsen, and Ayden and Brady Field. The 3 great-great grandchildren are Aliyah, Kylee and Emma Dyckma. She is also survived by many loving nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Brian E. Gardner, Sr.

"Nighty Nite" to the Best Mother on Earth.

Our Mother kept a garden,

a garden of the heart,

She planted all the good things

that gave our lives their start.

She turned us to the sunshine

and encouraged us to dream,

Fostering and nurturing

the seeds of self-esteem.

And when the winds and rains came

she protected us enough -

But not too much - she knew we'd need

to stand up strong and tough.

Her constant good example

always taught us right from wrong -

Markers for our pathway

that will last a lifetime long.

We hope her loving, kind ways

live in us for all to see

We are our Mother's garden

we are her legacy.