Jean M. Gardner

Jean Marie Gardner passed away peacefully in the early morning on Wednesday, April 17, 2024 at 97 years old.

She was born on the 4th of July, 1926 to Blanchard and Elsie (Fagerness) Gardner in Minnesota City. Every year, she was excited that there were special fireworks for “her birthday”. 

She attended elementary school in Minnesota City, Minnesota and graduated from the Winona Senior High School in 1944. She then attended Winona State University, graduating from the 2 year course in 1946, with her Bachelor’s of Science Degree. She later graduated with her Master’s in Education.

Jean had a passion and love for teaching and spent over 40 years in the field. She taught for one year in Trempealeau, WI, five years in Galesville, WI, and 35 years in Wauwatosa, WI. She was the author of two books on Individualized Reading, published by the Hayes Publishing Company. 

After her retirement, Jean returned to Winona, where she spent much of her first ten years enjoying the company of her elderly mother. She also spent time and stayed in touch with close friends and cousins, including her Aunt Armella, cousins Ralph and Lillian Addison and their daughter Cathy and her husband Cam from Canada, Lois and Mike Moheban, and Gerry and Colleen Fagerness. She also spent time with special friends, Norma Grausnick, Dorothy McCabe, Kay Whetstone, Nancy Gaulke, and the Marie Heider and Carolyn Hinz families. These were only a few of the people she spent time with and loved dearly. 

One of her favorite pastimes, besides reading (she had to make sure she was ready for her monthly book club!), was to take a drive to the family farm (often with friends and cousins) in Minnesota City, and enjoy the peace and tranquility of the valley and remember the many memories of her childhood there. Later, she enjoyed sitting in the yard at the farm, watching her great-great niece and nephew run and play through the woods and fields and watching fireworks with them there on “her birthday”.

She was a member of the First Baptist Church where she taught Adult Sunday School class for many years. She was a proud member of the Minnesota Baptist Ladies Aid, the Winona County Historical Society, the Minnesota City Historical Association, the Daughters of the American Revolution (which she was a member of for 75 years), and the Sons of Norway.

In addition to her parents, she is predeceased by her sister, Dorothy (Gardner) Brom, Dorothy’s husband, Leo, and her nephew, Erik Brom. She is survived by Erik’s wife and her niece-in-law, Jodi Brom, her great-niece, Emily (Brom) Smithley and her husband, Philip Smithley, of Winona; her great-great niece, Lola Smithley and her great-great nephew, Oliver Smithley. 

The family would like to thank the staff of St. Anne - Benedictine in Winona and Winona Hospice Care. In Addition, we want to thank all those who took the time to visit and call Jean over the last few years.

A service will be held at 11:30 AM on Monday, April 29, 2024, at the Watkowski-Mulyck Funeral Home, 376 E. Sarnia St., Winona.  There will not be any visitation held prior to the service – following the service, the family will greet relatives and friends during a luncheon and reception at the funeral home. Burial will be at Oakwood Cemetery in Utica, MN, following the luncheon.

Online condolences or memories may be left for Jean’s family at www.watkowski-mulyck.com.