Frances Loreen Gardner

Frances Loreen Gardner, 78, a longtime resident of Fruita, Colorado, passed away on June 3, 2025, in Sedona, Arizona.

She was born in Leadville, Colorado, on September 6, 1946, to Gilbert V. and Mary T. Baca. She was the fourth of seven children. She graduated from Center High School, where she was a cheerleader and was voted Head Girl.

Soon after graduation, she moved with her family to Southern California, where she met Ronald Preston Gardner. They were joined in marriage on July 12, 1969, and had two children. The pair moved to Fruita in 2006. They remained happily married for 46 years before Ron's passing in 2016.

Fran loved to dance and sing. She was a devout Catholic and served as a lector, eucharistic minister, and liturgical dancer.

She was exceptionally bright and loved to do crossword puzzles. She first worked as a secretary but quickly climbed the ranks to become a mainframe computer programmer.

She had a thirst for knowledge and a heart for teaching, so she attended college at night and on weekends and earned a B.A., a teaching credential, and a Masters in Education from Loyola Marymount University. She taught at St. John Baptist de la Salle in Granada Hills, CA, and Holy Family School in Grand Junction, CO.

In her final decade, she danced and sang her way through Alzheimer's and was the star of her memory-care home, beloved by all.

She is survived by her children, Mark (Claire) and Adana (David); her grandchildren, Randen, Kelryn (Jeshard), and Kælie; her great-grandson, Beaudin; her sisters, Katherine and Myrna (Ed); and her nieces and nephews.

You are invited to join us in honoring Fran and celebrating her life on June 30 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Fruita. The rosary will be at 9:00 a.m., the funeral mass at 9:45 a.m., and the reception in the Parish Hall at 11:00 a.m. Interment will take place at Veterans Memorial Cemetery in Grand Junction at 1 p.m.