Stella Gardner

STELLA WANDA (ATKINS) GARDNER

Tipton

Stella Wanda (Atkins) Gardner, 96, of Tipton, entered eternal rest Wednesday, Oct. 26, 2016, at Cedar Manor Nursing Home, Tipton. Visitation will be held at Fry Funeral Home on Monday, Oct. 31, from 9:30 to 11 a.m. Funeral service will begin at 11 a.m., with interment following at Tipton Masonic Cemetery.

All memorials in Stella's honor may be directed to Tipton Lions Club.

Online condolences may be shared at www.fryfuneralhome.com.

On Sept. 5, 1920, in Rochester, Iowa, Stella's life journey began, where she was born to Everett and Nora (Rehbehn) Atkins. Stella attended and graduated from Tipton High School, Class of 1938. She then attended Paris Beauty Academy in Cedar Rapids before working as a beautician. Stella was united in marriage to the late L. Claire in 1940. They made Cedar County their home, where they raised their three daughters: Cathy, Diane and the late Janet.

Stella was a housewife and mother and had a passion for learning and teaching from Camp Fire groups to 4-H and Tipton Study Club to Sunday School at United Methodist Church, where she has been a member for many years. She purchased her very first computer when she was 78 and even upgraded several years later! To fulfill yet another dream, she began taking piano lessons when she was 84. She was a trendsetter, teacher and friend, who one could always confide in.

Stella was a genuine, loving soul, and will be remembered always.

Stella is survived by her daughters, Cathy (Philip) Ott of Canon City, Colo., and Diane (Larry) LeBlanc of Jefferson City, Mo.

She was preceded in death by her parents; husband; daughter, Janet Gardner; brother, Darrell Atkins; and sisters, Marcella Kruse, Erdine Kruse and Mabel Dolan.