GARDNER, Mildred (Armstrong) 94, born in Cairo, IL on June 2, 1922, the devoted and loving daughter of John Henry Armstrong and Lillie Boston Armstrong, who preceded her in death. Also preceding her was her husband of almost 25 years, Wilbur (Bill) Fremont Gardner, who passed in 1966. She is survived by: her children, Perry (Sandra) Gardner, Ross (Judy) Gardner, and Joyce (Rick) Baker; her grandchildren, Greg (Amy) Gardner, Julann Baker, and Jacob Baker; her two great-grandchildren, and many relatives and friends. She spent most of her childhood in Cairo, IL, and graduated from Cairo High School. After graduation, she left Cairo for a job at the Navy Department in Washington, DC, where she met her future husband. Marriage, three children and three moves later, she and her family were living in Akron, OH and her husband passed away suddenly, when she was 43 years old. She finished raising the two "teen" children still living at home, while working at Akron General Hospital. She then moved to Florida, where she worked at Lee Memorial and Tallahassee Memorial hospitals, and subsequently became Director of several State of Florida medical regulatory boards during the remainder of her career. Upon retirement, she moved to St. Petersburg, to be near her daughter. There, she was a member of First Presbyterian Church, the Women's Club, Suncoast Quilting Circle, a frequent usher at the Palladium, an enduring volunteer at the Florida International Museum, and a volunteer tutor/teacher-assistant at the Senior Center Computer Training Lab. She was also involved in numerous other volunteer activities, including several church/craft groups whose mission was to sew/knit items for donation to those in need. Her other avocation was attending classes at USF, and over the span of about twenty years took courses on a huge variety of subjects. She loved sewing, flowers, art, birds, music and traveling. She nurtured her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and provided them varied cultural and educational opportunities. There will be a celebration of her life on November 12. Anderson-McQueen Funeral home, 2201 Dr. M.L. King Street North, St. Petersburg, FL at 3:00 PM. Visitation hours will be immediately prior to the service, from 1-3 pm. Interment will subsequently be in Moore's Chapel Cemetery in Bath, Ohio. In lieu of flowers, please donate in her name to the Glaucoma Research Foundation and/or the American Heart Association.
Published in the Tampa Bay Times on Nov. 6, 2016