Ladean Gardner

Ladean Gardner entered eternal rest on Tuesday, December 3, 2019. She was born in Mayo, SC on September 27, 1931, the youngest child of Preston Alexander Gardner and Lois Queen Gardner. She graduated from Mayo High School, where she played basketball and later went to Converse College. After graduating from Converse, Ladean relocated to Rock Hill, SC to begin her professional life working in a laboratory at Celanese Chemical. She later became a travel agent for Thomas Tours and Travel, giving her the opportunity to travel widely throughout the United States, Canada, and Europe and providing a wealth of fond memories for the remainder of her life. Later she entered the restaurant business as the owner of the Java House in Rock Hill. Above all else, Ladean Gardner had a servant's heart. She returned to Mayo when her mother's health began to decline, relocating to the family farm where she and her oldest sister Kathryn cared for their parents until their passing. Ladean would later care for Kathryn until her death in 2012. While in Mayo, she also embarked on the final stage of her professional career as a sixth-grade teacher at Jesse Boyd Elementary School in Spartanburg School District 7 where she taught for many years. Ever the servant, Ladean championed many charitable causes throughout her life in the upstate. She was honored by Franklin Graham's Samaritan's Purse ministry in recognition of leading her small community church's efforts to pack an enormous number of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes year after year. Ladean taught Sunday School at Mayo Baptist Church and sang in the choir for many years. She continued to serve her community until her own health began to fail. Ladean was predeceased by her three siblings, Kathryn Gardner, O'Nell Granger, and Paul Gardner; as well as her niece, Judy Granger. "Aunt Dee Dee," as she was affectionately known by her nephews and nieces, is survived by her nephew, Bob Gardner (Carol); and nieces Donia Teagle (Barry) and Kathy Crawford (David). She is also survived by great-nieces, Beth Dougherty (Doug) and Caroline Johnson (Travis) and great-nephew, Franklin Teagle (Eleeza); as well as two great-great nieces, Vivian and Rachel Dougherty and two great-great nephews, Milo and Roman Teagle. She dearly loved her family. The family will receive visitors 10:00-10:45 AM Saturday, December 7, 2019, at Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel, 2075 E. Main St., Spartanburg, SC 29307, with funeral services following at 11:00 AM, conducted by The Rev. Preston Edmonds. Ladean will be laid to rest in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens, 1300 Fernwood-Glendale Rd., Spartanburg, SC 29307. In lieu of flowers, the family respectfully requests memorial donations be made to Samaritan's Purse, PO Box 3000, Boone, NC 28607. Floyd's Greenlawn Chapel