Mary L. Gardner

Mary L. Gardner was born January 23, 1950, to parents Watson and Francis Gardner in Logan, West Virginia. She was the 9th child of her parents who had 16 children in all. Mary was a bright eyed baby with reddish curls, who at 3, loved to sit in her walker and play with her hair.

In 1969, after graduating high school, Mary joined her siblings Watson, Jr., and Carrie and relocated to Cleveland, Ohio where she worked at bartender at Hot Sauce Williams on Hayden Avenue in East Cleveland. After having two daughters, Margretta and Elretha Gardner, Mary began a babysitting business in her home where she was blessed with many children who still love and cherish so many memories of her today. Some of those children Mary raised in her home for a period of time and became added siblings to her daughters. Those children are Emmett Todd, DaShundra Myrick Lockhart (Erika), Darryl and Dominique Myrick.

After raising her children, Mary started working for East Cleveland City Schools at Rozelle as a lunch aid and cleaner under Patrick Brown who she called her brother. She then worked at Shaw High School and Heritage Middle School. Mary loved East Cleveland and the Shaw High School Band. She retired in 2014 after 20+ years of service with the East Cleveland School System. She was loved by many.

Mary leaves behind two daughters Margretta Gardner Livert (Shawn) and Elretha Gardner, two grandchildren Madison Gardner and Nyhrie Smith, and two great grandchildren Jaliah and Josiah. Her siblings Waston Gardner and Carrie Gardner (Ohio), Martha Gardner, Elretha Kaye Gardner and Jerry Gardner (Kentucky), Neil Gardner (New York), Jim Gardner (Texas), Raymond Gardner (Sharon) of Florida, and Bill (Donna) and John Gardner (West Virginia) She had many nieces and nephews who she loved and adored.

She joined her parents Watson and Francis, sisters Carol Ruffin (Shelton), Doris Burress (Tyrone), Francis Jackson (James) and brother James Gardner (Althea) in death October 18, 2020. Mary Gardner is well loved and missed