Kathleen Ruth Gardner-Elliott's Obituary
Resident of Los AltosKay passed peacefully away of old age at 92 with her family and caregiver at her son’s house in Los Altos on September 11, 2016. Kay was born in Casper Wyoming on February 7, 1924 to Earl William Oliver and Annie Catherine (McCagherty) Oliver. Kay had a younger brother Earl Thomas Oliver who preceded her in death (April 9, 1996). She was married to Laurence Ernest Gardner in Tucson, Arizona on December 27, 1943 while attending St Luke’s Nursing School in Denver Colorado. Kay and Larry had two children Larry J. Gardner, her son and younger daughter Julie N. (Gardner) Younkin who preceded her in death on August 4, 2016 in Galt, California. Her husband was a decorated officer in the USAF for 25 years, so they lived many places during his career, but settled in Los Altos, California at his retirement at the Satellite Test Center in Sunnyale. When Kay moved to Los Altos she attended Foothill College finishing her Nursing degree. She then worked at El Camino Hospital for 26 years in ER, Pediatrics and primarily in the Psychiatrics Unit (1 South). Her husband died at home under her care on April 9, 1987 of cancer after a 15 year career in Aerospace at Lockheed and GE.Kay was a loving, caring wife, mother and grandmother to her family. She was also active in the community volunteering at the Assistance League (Custom Bank) in Los Altos and Filoli’s Estate in San Mateo. She was active in the Republican Women group and an active member and contributor to St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Mt. View and St. Luke’s Episcopal in Galt. She was also a 20-year member of the Stanford Women Health Initiative that demonstrated that proper eating leads to a long healthy life.Kay leaves behind a family that loved her dearly and keeps her in their thoughts and prayers every day. Kay remarried to Barton James Elliott on August 3, 1991 at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in Mt. View. Kay was lovingly embraced by Bart’s five daughters Sandra Plate, Diane Elliott, Joan Elliott, Sharon Cheeks, Debra Owens and their families. They lived in Los Altos until 2000, when they moved to Galt California to help her daughter Julie take care of her husband Kenneth Younkin, who was stricken with ALS and died 6 years later. Bart died on December 30, 2000 in Galt. Kay moved back to Los Altos in August of 2012 to live with her son and daughter-in-law Deanna J. Gardner in their Los Altos home when Julie was stricken with cancer.Kay is survived by her son’s elder daughter Marisa (Gardner) Mibach, her husband Michael Mibach and their son Clayton Mibach and daughter Camryn Mibach, her son’s younger daughter Alexandra (Gardner) Lee, her husband Brian Lee and two sons Asher and Rory. Kay’s daughter Julie is survived by her elder daughter Kirsten Younkin-Jeffery and husband Scott Jeffery and her daughter Addyson, sons Aiden, and AJ. Julie is also survived by her younger daughter Shannon Younkin-Loiler and husband Brian Loiler and elder son Luke and Ryker. Shannon became a nurse like her Grandmother and she and her sister cared for their Mother at her home Galt until her death.Kay’s funeral service will be at Skylawn Crystal Springs Chapel in San Mateo on October 3, 2016 at 11am with Pastor Barbara Elizabeth Nixon presiding followed by a grave-side ceremony.
What’s your fondest memory of Kathleen?
What’s a lesson you learned from Kathleen?
Share a story where Kathleen's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Kathleen you’ll never forget.
How did Kathleen make you smile?