Marie Gardner

Marie Gardner, 87, passed away peacefully on Wednesday morning May 7, 2014 at Riverwoods in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania.

She was born Marie Elizabeth Foster on June 23, 1926 in Camden, New Jersey, the daughter of Joseph and Beatrice Foster. She was preceded in death by her parents and by her brothers, Vivian (Chief), William, Joseph, Eugene, Wilbur, Robert, Roy, and her sisters, Helen, Ruth, Flossie, and Dorothy.

On October 18, 1947 Marie married Russell Gardner in New Jersey where they lived until moving to Pennsylvania in 1953. They lived in Clarks Summit for five years until finally settling in Lewisburg where they lived many happy years.

Marie worked as a housewife and raised a family. In 1968, she and her husband purchased the original Bull Run Inn and Campus Bowling Lanes. After a fire destroyed the buildings, she was involved in the planning and running of the new Bull Run Inn and Rusty’s restaurant until she retired in 1989. She continued to enjoy her association with the restaurants and made friends and new-comers feel welcome there.

She was a member of The Beaver Memorial United Methodist Church for 55 years. When her children were young, she helped in Sunday school and church activities and also helped with the local Brownie troupe.  She was a previous member of the Bucknell Golf Club and enjoyed a leisurely game. When she once had a hole-in-one her husband joked that it was the first time she hit the green.  For many years she was a bowler in the Breakaway League. Marie was very happy to have spent 26 winters in Florida where she and Russ had a home in Venice. In later years, she especially enjoyed following her grandchildrens’ sporting activities watching baseball and basketball games.

Marie is survived by her son, Kevin Gardner, and her daughter-in-law, Karen Z. Gardner and their children Kyle and Kathryn Gardner of Lewisburg and her daughter, Lois Gardner Sabet,  son-in-law, Mehrdad Sabet and their son, Roshan Sabet of Nottingham, England.  She is also survived by many nieces and nephews, including her much loved niece, Linda Foster Toner of Mullica Hill, New Jersey.

A memorial service will be held on Thursday, May 29, at the Beaver Memorial United Methodist Church, 42 South Third Street, Lewisburg at 11:30 a.m. followed by a lunch in the church’s Fellowship Hall.

Memorial contributions may be made to Beaver Memorial United Methodist Church, 42 South Third Street, Lewisburg, PA 17837 or the Donald L. Heiter Community Center, 100 North Fifth Street, Lewisburg, PA 17837.

The family is being assisted by Cronrath-Grenoble Funeral Home, 106 S. Second St. Lewisburg.