GARDNER, Sara Lee

Yuma Sun, Yuma, Arizona - Published in The Yuma Sun from Jan. 25 to Jan. 26, 2014 - Dr. Sara Lee Gardner born on March 2, 1942 in Boise, Idaho passed on to her next journey Saturday, January 11, 2014 in Evansville, Indiana. Dr. Gardner is survived by her children: Steven Gardner (wife Cheryl), Shauna Paque (husband Brian), Heidi Kilgore (husband James), Leslie Christ (husband Kurt), Jon Eric Lindblom (wife Amy); her grandchildren John Kilgore (wife Kailee), Samuel Kilgore (wife Michelle), Autumn Coombs, Jon Lucas Lindblom, and her great grandchildren, Elwynn Kilgore and Jaxson Kilgore. "A little while, a moment of rest upon the wind, and another woman shall bear me." – Kahlil Gibran During her life as a daughter and wife she traveled the United States, cruised to Libya and gave birth to her final child in the Philippines After spending years as a mother and wife, Dr. Gardner proved age was an advantage as she embarked on the next stage of her life. She went back to school in her early forties, receiving an undergraduate degree from University of California, Berkeley, followed by a graduate degree from University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. During and after her life as a student, she spent decades traveling to do her archeology research in the Middle- East. She shared stories with her family of nights in Egypt, days in Israel, bathing in the Mediterranean, drinking wine in the Canary Islands and meeting new friends. She was planning her next trip out of the United States to discover another amazing group of friends on another amazing adventure. Dr. Gardner lived a full life as a matriarch and teacher. Her joy of teaching was exhibited when she shared stories of her student's wonder of their genealogies, pride in acceptance to graduate school and excitement of their completion of studies. Later in life she rededicated time to follow her interest in art. Her oil paintings, charcoals and jewelry are on display from coast to coast. In the last year, she was happy to be able to move closer to her grandchildren and great grandchildren as well as find a church that shared her views on life and faith. The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Owensboro will be remembering her in their prayer "Morning, Noon, and Night" for 30 days, which started January 16, 2014. There is no memorial or viewing as Dr. Gardner believed that death was another opportunity to give her most to others; she donated her body to the Body Donation program at Indiana University. As Dr. Gardner believed in the community of all, any donations to her memory should be directed to the charity of your choice. Her survivors are blessed in the memory of her and the wonderful sympathies received over these past days.
Posted by mhenderson on January 25, 2014

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