Nelda Gardner
Nelda Noland Gardner, 91, of Cleburne passed away Wednesday, July 6, 2022.
Viewing will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 16, preceding the funeral at noon at Riley Funeral Home. Burial will follow in Oakwood Cemetery.
Nelda Noland was born Nov. 28, 1930, in the Salem community to Thomas Marvin Noland and Henrietta “Etta” Noland. Her family called her Nellie or “Little Nell.” She spent her early years in Hico and Fairy. As a teenager, she enjoyed playing the piano, listening to country and western music on the radio and playing basketball at school. She attended Fairy High School, where she graduated in 1947. Her main farm chore was milking the cows, which was her main inspiration for getting a job in Fort Worth.
After graduation, she lived and worked in Hamilton for the telephone company as a switchboard operator.
Nelda met Mr. Sherman Lee Gardner on a blind date with mutual friends when he was home on leave while serving in the Navy. They were married June 12, 1954, at Agee Baptist Church. Together, they were blessed with twins, Randy and Glenda, soon followed by little sister, Debbie. Nelda had her hands full.
After Sherman and Nelda moved to Fort Worth, she worked in and around the Fort Worth area as an office manager in the insurance business and as the bookkeeper for Gardner Travel Service until her retirement. She and Sherman were married for 51 years and loved to spend time with family and friends, whether it was traveling or sitting by the pool.
Nelda was preceded in death by her parents, Marvin and “Etta” Noland, sister Louise Noland and brothers James “Buck” Noland and Fred Ray Noland.
Survivors include her son Randy Gardner and wife Julie of Cleburne; daughter Glenda Gardner and fiancé Lee McAfee of Keene; and Debbie Gardner of Keller; grandchildren John Maxey and wife Heather of Haslet, Brian Burns and wife Nioka of Grapevine, Rachel Morris and husband Darren of North Richland Hills, Andrew Gardner and wife Lisa of North Richland Hills, Aaron Maxey and wife Nikki of Keller and Casey Gardner of Annapolis, Maryland; great-grandchildren Dylan, Brendyn, Ayden and Haevyn Maxey of Haslet, Tyler and wife Sierra Maxey of Fort Riley, Kansas, Kyleigh Mills and Austin Morris of North Richland Hills, Ryan, Conner, Ethan and Lucas Maxey of Keller, Michael and Trace Stautzenberger of Keller and Genevieve Burns of Grapevine; and great-great-grandchild Landyn Maxey of Fort Riley. Pallbearers were John
Maxey, Brian Burns, Darren Morris, Andrew Gardner, Aaron Maxey and Tyler Maxey.
