Obituary: Sally Elaine Gardner

August 31, 1934 – December 15, 2020

Sally Elaine Gardner, 86, of Bloomington, passed away Tuesday, December 15, 2020, at Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital.

Born August 31, 1934, in Salamanca, New York, she was the daughter of George Barnhart and Marie Mable (Horning) Ulmer. She married Howard Thomas Gardner August 22, 1953, and he preceded her in death July 8, 1998.

Sally was a homemaker and a small-town girl, growing up in Little Valley, New York.  She enjoyed ice skating, bowling (winning many high-score awards), community theater, Goodwill store shopping and dancing.  Her favorite music was sung by Willie Nelson. After she moved to Indiana in 1998, she became an avid Indianapolis Colts fan, always donning her blue and white gear to watch every game. While living at Hearthstone Health Campus and Brookdale Senior Living in Bloomington, she fed the birds and squirrels outside her window, played bingo with passion and danced when visiting musicians came to play. She treasured all her caregivers who made her life so full.

Survivors include children, Keith Richard (Deanna) Gardner of Mitchell, Amy Marie Gardner of Indianapolis, Michael George Gardner of Beech Grove; granddaughters, Alyssa Elaine Gardner of Mitchell, Margaret Gayle Kulas of Hanover Park, IL; grandson, Henry Lawrence (Amy) Kloepper of Lincoln, NE; great-grandson, Ford Owen Kloepper of Lincoln, NE

Her parents; daughter, Mary Beth Gardner (1983); and sister, Mary Jean Ulmer, preceded her in death.

Cremation was chosen with a service to be held in Little Valley, NY at a later date.

Memorial gifts can be made in Sally’s memory to the White River Humane Society, in Bedford, IN

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.chastainfuneralhome.com

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