Laurel Gardner

Laurel Jean Gardner passed to her peaceful place on November 16, 2024 in her 90th year.

She was born Laurel Jean Wilson, the fourth child to Glen and Lucille Wilson, farmers near Woolstock, Iowa. Laurel attended high school in Eagle Grove, Iowa where she met and soon married David McGrath. To that union was born four children, Amy (Bob) Hilgemann of St. Louis, MO; Evert Todd (Angie) McGrath of Waterloo, Iowa; David (Kasey) McGrath of Bondurant, Iowa; Hugh (Jenny) Gardner of Hastings, MN.

That marriage dissolved in 1967 and Laurel began training as an Alcoholism Counselor at the Mental Health Institute, Independence, Iowa. In 1969 she met Floyd Gardner, then a counselor at the Citizens Committee on Alcoholism in Cedar Rapids. Laurel and Floyd were married on November 26, 1969, after Floyd became director of the Northeast Council on Alcoholism, headquartered in Waterloo.

Since their marriage, Laurel and Floyd have lived in many different places. They first resided in Waterloo, then moved to Swisher, Iowa, then to Newton, Iowa. They returned to Waterloo in 1974. Laurel bought a franchise to Diet Centers in both Waterloo and Cedar Falls, which she operated until they moved to Albuquerque, NM early in 1982. The couple returned to Newton, Iowa where they enjoyed living on an acreage until 1993, moving to Bondurant that year, where they resided for 23 years. Laurel began working as an instructor at Des Moines Area Community College while living on the acreage. She retired from that position January 1, 1999.

Laurel loved to travel and was a willing partner in seeing the entire country in a motor home first purchased in 2005. Considering the amount of time spent traveling, the couple decided a larger motor home was needed and they traded for a larger one in 2007. They never looked back, taking various jobs as Workampers from Florida to California and at many points between.


Late in 2015 they moved to Altoona, IA, joining an 18-unit senior living arrangement.
Laurel was a creative person who enjoyed many different skills. She had a beautiful voice and sang in the choir of Bondurant Federated Church. She loved flowers and became a skilled flower arranger, but her deepest love was quilting, which she did with great gusto, creating many quilts for friends and family. Her greatest skill was an ability to make a house feel like a home. While travel and quilting were great joys for her, Laurel’s main reward came from the love and respect shown her by her off-spring and other family members.

Laurel is survived by her four children, three grandchildren, Joshua McGrath of Waterloo, Iowa; Jared McGrath, also of Waterloo; Emily McGrath of Altoona; several great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren, and by one sister, Sharolyn Gertsen of Raleigh, NC. She was preceded in death by her parents Glen and Lucille, her sisters Violet Nelson of Arizona, Rosemary Brown of Des Moines, Glenda Buckles of San Diego, CA and brother Glen Jr. of Forest City, Iowa.

Visitation and services will be held at Bondurant Federated Church, 103 2nd Street SW, Bondurant, Iowa. Family will greet friends Thursday, November 21, 2024 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. Memorial service will take place the following day Friday, November 22, 2024 at 10:30 a.m. with burial to follow at Bondurant Cemetery, 879 Second Street SE, Bondurant, Iowa.

Memorial contributions can be made to Bondurant Federated Church in loving memory of Laurel Gardner.

Condolences can be expressed at www.HamiltonsFuneralHome.com

The family would like to express deep gratitude to MercyOne Home Hospice caregivers who for nearly eight months never waivered in the quality of care provided to Laurel, and whose health they guarded with an abiding commitment thought her time in hospice.

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