Kathy Gardner

Kathy Susan (Stokes) Gardner, 63, passed away on Wednesday, July 30, 2014, surrounded by family at her home in Woodway after a brief but courageous struggle with pancreatic cancer. Her life will be celebrated at a reception from 4:30-6:00pm on Friday, August 1, and a memorial service at 2:00pm on Saturday, August 2, both at Lake Shore Baptist Church, 5801 Bishop Drive in Waco.

Kathy was born on June 23, 1951, to Lynn and Joy Stokes in Houston, Texas. A year later, the family moved to Dallas, where Kathy was active with her family at Hillcrest Baptist Church, attended public schools, and continued at Dallas Baptist University as a drama major. At age 16, she entered a life-long loving relationship with Steve Gardner, whom she had already known for many years at church. In 1971, Kathy and Steve married and moved to Austin, where Kathy supported Steve’s undergraduate education with jobs at Teacher Retirement System and a local TV/radio station. In 1974, they moved at Berkeley, California, where Kathy supported Steve’s graduate education with jobs at Berkeley Bioengineering and UC Berkeley. During that time, their son, Daniel, was born, and they also served as volunteer youth directors at Thousand Oaks Baptist.

In 1978, after a one-year stint in Grinnell, Iowa, the Gardners moved to the Waco area, where Steve joined the Baylor faculty, and Kathy was a devoted mother to Danny and a few years later to their daughter, Jessica. When the kids entered school, Kathy completed her undergraduate education as a sociology major at Baylor University, graduating fifth in her class, and then worked as a counselor for Consumer Credit Counseling Service and in several other positions. With their kids, Kathy and Steve traveled the world, including a long research visit to the Soviet Union in 1980 and shorter trips for work and/or leisure to China, Mexico, the UK, and many countries of Europe. Kathy was a long-time social director of the Bereshith class and a devoted volunteer in the children and youth programs at Lake Shore Baptist, where she was ordained as a deacon in 1993. She joined the youth on several mission trips, including one to New Orleans soon after Hurricane Katrina, volunteered her time and talents to Seeds of Hope Publishing and Waco Meals and Wheels, and supported many other organizations devoted to education, health, and social justice in the U.S. and abroad.

Kathy will be remembered for her unconditional love, especially of young people; her uninhibited laugh; her senses of fun and humor, even during times of incredible pain; her unassuming intelligence; and her passion for justice.

She was preceded in death by her parents.

Kathy is survived by her husband, Steve Gardner; son, Daniel Gardner and his wife, Sara, and son, Lucas; daughter, Jessica Gardner; brother, Richard Stokes and wife, Donna; sister, Charlotte Bristow and husband, Sandy; bother-in-law, Jim Gardner; sister-in-law, Jeanelyn Gray and husband, Doug; and many beloved aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and countless friends.
The family wishes to thank the many professionals at Providence Health Care, Providence Hospice, M.D. Anderson, and Blue Cross who have provided care, comfort, and advice; friends and family across the U.S. and around the world who have offered hundreds of expressions of prayer and support; and colleagues at Baylor University who have made it possible for Steve to serve as a full-time caregiver for the past five weeks.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Lake Shore Baptist Church; Waco Senior Ministries/Meals and Wheels; Seeds of Hope Publishers; or Family Abuse Center of Waco.