Mary Elizabeth Coon Gardner

Former Mendon Woman Eulogized— Beautiful funeral services were held Friday in the ward chapel for Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Gardner, lovingly knows as Aunt Mitt. Mrs. Gardner died at her home in Ogden where she resided for the past teb years. Bishop Henry C. Sorensen presides. Prayers were by Counselors Oliver Taylor and Elmer J. Hancock. The ward choir sang the opening and closing numbers directed by Chorister Kay Sorensen and Mrs. Ellen Ladle at the organ. Bishop Sorensen read a note of sympathy from the Mendon Friendship Club, Alex Baker, president and Mrs. Ethel Goates, secretary, both of Salt Lake City. Speakers who eulogized the many beautiful traits and wonderful characters possessed by Mrs. Gardner and her willingness to work in the different organizations were Patriarch Mormon D. Bird, Oliver H. Ritchie, member of the Ogden stake presidency, Joseph N. Sorensen, Isaac Coon of Pleasant Green who gave a short sketch of Mrs. Gardner's early life, President Colon Sweeten of the Curlew stake of Holbrook, Idaho. Special musical numbers were vocal solo, Melvin Athehinson accompanied at the piano by Mrs. Orlene Burnett and violin by Mrs. Golden Willie, all of Ogden; vocal duet, Cyril Nelson and Mrs. Henry C. Stauffer, accompanist, Mrs. Harry Bartlett; cornet solo, George G. Sweeten accompanied by Mrs. Orpha Curtis, all of Salt Lake City. The flowers were beautiful and carried by granddaughters. The pallbearers were grandsons, Orvel Larsen, LaVerne and Martell Larsen, Jack Bowen of Ogden, Paul Payne, Ray Payne of Arbon. The dedicatory prayer was by Herbert Bowen of Ogden. Mrs. Mary Elizabeth Coon Gardner was born January 12th, 1856 in Salt Lake City, daughter of Abraham and Elizabeth Wilson Coon. She lived in Salt Lake for sixteen years and was married to Alfred Gardner, May 29th, 1871, in the old endowment house. They moved to Mendon where she and her husband were active in church. Mrs. Gardner was a Relief Society teacher for years. Mr. Gardner died in 1914 and in 1928 with her son, John and family she moved to Ogden where she was a member of the Seventeenth Ward. Mrs. Gardner died at her home, 915 Patterson Ave., Ogden, Tuesday. The following sons and daughters survive: Mrs. Sarah J. Larsen, Portland, Oregon; John A. Gardner and Mrs. Mable Bowen of Ogden; Mrs. Maud Hancock, Victor, Idaho; Mrs. Josephine Sorensen, Malad City, Idaho; F. Arnold Gardner, Centerville; Hugh R. Gardner of Colusa, California, and twenty-six grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren. ~The Herald Journal, November 16th, 1937, page 7.