Myrtle Gardner

Myrtle Anna Gardner, 100 of Grand Rapids, MN, formerly of Toledo, Iowa, passed away, Monday, January 20, 2020 at her home at River Grand Senior Living.

Celebration of life services will be 11:30AM, Saturday, January 25, 2020 at the Eicher Mennonite Church in Wayland, IA. Burial will follow in the Eicher Cemetery. Visitation will begin at 10:00AM until service. A memorial fund has been established for the Eicher Mennonite Church or the Christ United Methodist Church in Toledo.

Myrtle Anna Gardner was born on December 27, 1919 in Noble, IA, the daughter of Elmer and Emma (Oswald) Freyenberger. She graduated from the Wayland High School. Myrtle worked as a nurses’s aid, then at the pearl button factory in Washington and later at the Midland Rubber Company in Cedar Rapids, where she met her husband Harry Gardner Jr.They were married on October 23, 1945 in Moline, IL. They lived in SE Iowa in the early years where her three children were born, moving to Grundy Center, and settling in Toledo for 48 years where Christ United Methodist Church was central to her life. She enjoyed watching her children, grandchildren and great grand children grow up. Harry and Myrtle enjoyed many trips and the many friendships they developed through the years. Her husband of 60 years passed away in 2006. She moved to River Grand Senior Living in Grand Rapids, MN in 2008 where she enjoyed life with the residents and staff.

Myrtle is survived by her son, Harry III (Jean) Gardner of Grand Rapids, MN, daughters, Janet and Jean Gardner of MI, grandchildren; Harry IV (Kim) Gardner of TN, grand son-in-law Tony Kasal of Tama, IA, Richard (Jessica) Gardner of Cedar Rapids, IA, Jodi (Howe) Siegel of MN, Julie (Adam) Schneider of MN, 11 great-grandchildren, 1 great-great-grandchild, sister, Ina Mae (Orlin) Eigsti of KS, and one sister-in-law Connie Gardner of Toledo, IA.

Myrtle was preceded in death by her husband Harry in 2006, grand daughter Jennifer Kasal, brothers, William Freyenberger, Robert Freyenberger, Ed Freyenberger, and sister Ruth Graber.