MOUNT VERNON – Linda Ellen Gardner, 70, of Mount Vernon passed away Sept. 28, 2021, at Knox Community Hospital after a long and courageous battle with recurring illness. She was born Feb. 8, 1951, to Thomas and Freda (Burchard) Gardner in Mount Vernon.
Although she had no birth children, she was a mother to many, not the least of whom were her niece and nephews. She was the oldest of her siblings and was their confidant and protector during an all-too-dark childhood. This equipped her so well for the beautiful life that she lived.
Every day, in every season of her life, she exuded the light of the Savior she believed in. Selfless beyond measure, she gave her time, her heart, her soul, her faith, her courage, her loyalty and her assets to anyone in need. She was an anchor to her mother, her family, friends and acquaintances. She was there for everyone in good times and bad, in celebration and defeat; I had a relationship and closeness with her that I will never have again. There was nothing I wouldn’t do for her, just as there was nothing she wouldn’t do for me. As I sit here and write her obituary, I feel so adrift and alone. There was always Linda; now, she is gone.
She retired from Country Court Nursing Home around eight years ago. She remodeled our father’s home and added an addition for our mother to live with her. Her enjoyment of her home was short-lived, as she fell and broke her hip, and the enemy of the sacred came after her with a vengeance. As she lied bedfast recovering, she contracted sepsis and slipped into a coma. The doctors said it was a miracle that she recovered, and she returned to the nursing home facility to recuperate.
While some would say lying bedfast in a nursing home is a compromised life, Linda was undeterred. With assistance, she could get into a motorized wheelchair and interacted with the residents and staff. She radiated the light within her, and people gravitated to it. People would hear of this sacred woman and seek her out for conversation or simply a hug. That was her mission, to minister to those approaching the end of their lives. She met her significant other there, and although their time together was brief, he made her happy.
She would contract sepsis six more times and c-diff three more times, and her warrior spirit always prevailed until the end. Her race was over; she had won.
She was a member of the Church on the Rise, and both pastors Richard and Jeanne Hite were with her in her final moments. She was preceded in death by her brother, Richard Gardner, and her father, Thomas Gardner, and those who gathered around her reported she looked upward, as if they and the angels were welcoming her home. I will always wish that you were still here, but I can understand why God would want such a beautiful angel by His side from now through eternity.
She is survived by her mother, Freda Gardner; her brother, Thomas Gardner; her sisters, Laura (Gardner) Wedemeyer and Karen (Gardner) Betancourt; a niece, Amy Betancourt; her beloved nephews, Deakyn and Judah Patterson; and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and family members.
Per Linda’s wishes, there will be no funeral services. Her ashes are to be kept and intermingled with her mother’s when that time arrives. There will be a celebration of life event held at the Church on the Rise at a time and date to be determined.
A very special thanks to the staff of Whispering Hills nursing home and the Knox Community Hospital for their compassionate care.
The Snyder Funeral Home is handling the arrangements for the family. To share a memory or leave a condolence for the family, please visit www.snyderfuneralhomes.com.
