Obituary of Gloria J. Gardner

Gloria J. Gardner, 77, of Jamestown, passed away, following a courageous battle with cancer, at 2:00 pm Sunday, March 11, 2018, in the Heritage Park Rehab and Skilled Nursing Facility. A lifelong area resident, she was born August 7, 1940 in Adena, OH, a daughter of the late Joseph J. and Verna Simon Wasko. Gloria was a 1958 graduate of Jamestown High School and earned her bachelor's and master's degree from the State University of New York at Fredonia, where she majored in history. She was a former member of the Jamestown Opti-misses Club, served on the board of directors for the YMCA and was active at the Jamestown Audubon Society. She will be remembered as one who loved to be outdoors tending to her flower gardens around her home. She was well known for her love of gardening and was repeatedly recognized by the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation Grow Jamestown Program. Before her retirement, she managed the former W-B & Swanson Pharmacy in downtown Jamestown with her husband Ross until 1995. Surviving are her husband of 58 years, F. Ross Gardner, whom she married October 17, 1959, a daughter; Michele (Andrew) Crosby of Stow, Mass., a son; Frank (Meghan) Gardner of Bedford, Mass., 5 grandchildren; Daniel Crosby, Helen Crosby, Nathaniel Crosby all of Stow, Mass., Marin Gardner of Watertown, Mass., Gwen Gardner of Bedford, Mass., a brother; Joseph (Patricia) Wasko of Jamestown, NY and a sister; JoAnne (Charles) Gustafson of Jamestown, NY. A private service will be held at the convenience of the family. Friends will be received from 4-6 pm Wednesday in the Lind Funeral. Memorials may be made to the Jamestown Audubon Community Nature Center, 1600 Riverside Rd. Jamestown, NY 14701 or log on to https://auduboncnc.org/donate.