Elizabeth Jean (Guidry) Gardner, 81 of Montgomery, Texas passed away at her home with her family at her side on June 14, 2016. She was born in Houma, Louisiana on June 9, 1935, to her late parents Bernard Bené Guidry and Mary Rita (Dagate) Guidry.
Elizabeth (Betty) grew up in Houma with the support of her tight-knit Sicilian and Cajun extended family. She graduated valedictorian of her class at Terrebonne High School in 1953. Betty attended the University of Southwestern Louisiana (now University of Louisiana at Lafayette), where she studied medical technology. While at USL, Betty met and married her late husband, Walter Dean Gardner, in 1956. Betty and Wally were married for 42 years.
Wally’s career as a petroleum geologist took Betty and their four children to many places, including Texas, Colombia, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Peru, Mississippi and California. Betty dedicated her life to nurturing her family and friends. She excelled at making a home for her family on short notice and in exotic places she had never been before. She enjoyed reading, movies, cooking, traveling and spending time with her family. Betty was intelligent and intellectually curious; you could never guess what book she would be reading or what obscure movie she would want to see! Betty was a parishioner at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in New Waverly, Texas.
Betty is survived by her son, Dean Gardner (Colleen), of Selah, Washington; her daughter, Mary Gardner, of Montgomery, Texas; her son, Larry Gardner (Charlotte), of Fredericksburg, Texas; her daughter, Beth Maddaford (Randy), of Burleson, Texas; her cousin and "sister", Ethel Lacour, of Houma, Louisiana; and her eight grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held on Friday, June 17, 2016 at 1:00pm at Cashner Funeral Home at 801 Teas Rd. in Conroe, Texas, with a memorial service beginning at 2:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family prefers memorial donations to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, or to the charity of your choice.