Emma Eunice Gardner was born May 12, 1874 at St. Charles, Idaho the daughter of Jacob Michaelson and Elizabeth Emma Baker. She was the second child in this family of thirteen and early learned to share the work and responsibility of a large family. She had very little chance for school, but became a good reader and writer and yearned for more learning.
When 18 years of age she moved with her family to Thayne, Wyo. Here she continued her active work in the church as Sunday School teacher and became the secretary in the first relief Society organization there. Here also she met a young man, Ozro Gardner of West Jordan, while he was in the valley visiting relatives.
She married him November 8, 1893 in the Salt Lake Temple and to this union were born 12 children, nine sons and three daughters; two boys died in infancy. This couple lived at West Jordan for a while, then came to star Valley and took up a homestead two miles north of Afton. This home became the heaven which the children knew as they grew to maturity and here they were taught many valuable lessons in life, including faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. They took active part in the church; four sons filled missions and all of them were married in the temple. All of them graduated from the S.V,.H.S. and four have college degrees. She with her husband taught through precept and example the fundamentals of industry, dependability, promptness and service. Music was one of their outstanding talents and through this medium they became well known throughout the valley and places elsewhere. She was a member of the first Afton ward choir and the first stake choir.
While she was a home mother, she was also Relief Society teacher for 2 years and a stake class leader for a number of years. she had tree sons in World War I and one son and 8 grandchildren in World War II.
She suffered a stroke in March, 1943 and was left in a helpless condition unable to walk or turn without assistance. From then on she has been cared for by her husband and all of her children, as they took turns equally giving her what assistance she required. It is a source of consolation to them that they cared for her gladly, feeling it a privilege. She was loved for her sweet disposition; she lived with a constant prayer in her heart; she was humble and trusting before her Maker; her endurance was a thing of miracle; her love was everywhere evident; gut she desired no credit for her labors, always feeling to rejoice i the goodness of the Lord. two years ago she celebrated her Golden Wedding with her husband.
The latter part of November she had a heart attack from which she did not recover and on December 5 at 7:15 a.m. just as day was beginning to break, she passed on to a brighter day, which gave her relief from the extreme suffering she had known.
Lying in state at her home in Afton she was surrounded by many many beautiful flowers, the room was half filled with gorgeous blossoms, and they bore silent attest to the high esteem in which she was held by her numerous friends and relatives.
Funeral services were held in the North Ward chapel at 1:00 p.m. December 8th, Bp E Francis Winters presiding and a Dixon Burton conducting the services. Margaret winters played for the processional music "To a Wild Rose" request number; the first song was by the choir"Though Deepening Trials" under the direction of Harvey Allred, Invocation by Bp Joseph Merritt of Thayne, a nephew. Second song a solo, by Ernest Turner, a nephew, "Our Yesterdays" accompanied on the piano by Miss Rasmussen. The first speaker was Bishop Delos Gardner, a great nephew, who gave a sketch of her life, extolled her many virtues, her deep love and devotion to her family, her great hospitality and some of the many things which made her an outstanding mother.
A.E. Kennington, close friend and neighbor of the Gardners, gave a very intimate talk about her as a neighbor, mentioning her charity and kindness and how she had lived the gospel in her daily life. Margaret Winters then played an organ solo, "Come Come, Ye saints:, bringing to mind the long trek of her parents from Denmark and England, across the plains to Zion, and how she in turn had been a pioneer and gone through hardships and trials.
President Royle S. Papworth then portrayed the life of Sister Gardner as the director behind the scenes of the lives of her family, showing how, under her direction, they had been urged on to great accomplishments. He stressed how kind our Heavenly Father had been to this family, giving them great talents and blessing them with health and strength and then spoke of how they in turn had blessed, the community in which they lived by making good use of those talents and rendering service. He felt that the deceased was one of those who would receive the approval of the Master, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant enter ye into the joy of thy Lord".
Fern Burton, Joyce Allred and Corrine Barrus sang a trio, "The Lord's Prayer" accompanied by Hortense Burton.
Original, inspirational verse written by Alda Gardner and Dorothy Mae Mills were read by Alda Quayle Dixon of Spanish Fork, Utah then spoke as a special friend of the family. He with his wife had made the trip especially to be present at this occasion. Dixon Burton very ably gave remarks from the bishopric and the appreciation of the family for all the kind services they had been recipients of during the long illness and death of their mother.
The closing song was a duet, "Somewhere a Voice is Calling" by Grace Erickson and Ronald Allred, accompanied by Leora Barrus. Adolph Jensen offered the closing prayer. Margaret Winters played as recessional "You Were There" original music by Bonita G. Hopkin.
Carl Cook offered the prayer in the home and Bp. Franklin R. Gardner gave the dedication of the grave. Interment was in the Afton cemetery. The pall bearers were her seven sons. The entire family was present at the funeral. The grandchildren carried the flowers assisted by the ladies of the Relief Society. At the close of the services the flowers were carried outside by the children to the walk in front of the building where they formed two long lines, so that their beloved grandmother could be carried between the rows of flowers. It was an inspirational sight there in the sunlight, a fitting benediction to the life of this most perfect wife and mother.
The deceased is survived by her husband, B. Ozro Gardner and the following children: W. Ivan, Arch and Dean Gardner of Afton; Arling Gardner of Cheyenne, J Obed and Orrin M of Hazeltown, Idaho; and Lloyd Gardner of Salt Lake City, Utah; Elona Hillyard of Auburn; Laura Draney of Freedom and Bonita Hopkin of Afton; Also 41 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren and 14 brothers and sisters.
Relatives and friends from the valley were Miss Bertha Michaelson of Laramie, Miss Lydia Michaelson of Cokeville, Mrs Emma Coats of Smithfield, Utah Mr and Mrs E.H.Rogers and son Glenn of Logan Utah; Mr and Mrs Quayle Dixon of Spanish Fork, Utah, Many relatives unable to attend sent flowers.

Gardner, Emma Eunice (1) (i 13 Dec 1945)Star Valley Independent

Emma Eunice MICHAELSON is the daughter of Jacob MICHAELSON and Elizabeth Emma BARKER
Emma Eunice MICHAELSON married Brigham Ozro GARDNER 8 Nov 1893 in Salt Lake City, S-Lk, UT