Glenda Gardiner died Saturday, Oct. 29, 2022. She was 76. She is survived by her son, James Gardiner IV, her daughter-in-law, Alison Lawhead, her daughter, Elizabeth Gardiner, and Elizabeth’s partner, Ryan Parks.
Glenda was born July 19, 1946, in Fort Frances, Ontario, Canada, the fifth of six children born to William George Gray and Florence Evelyn Allan. After completing high school, she left Fort Frances to attend Simon Fraser University in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where she studied anthropology.
After graduating, she traveled to Alaska to work on several archaeological digs. When recalling her time in Alaska, she would speak fondly of the memories she made in its harsh winters. It was here that she met James Gardiner, whom she married in 1976.
In 1992, Glenda moved to Moscow and enrolled at the University of Idaho as an undergraduate student, where she studied art. Later, she worked as an administrative assistant at the University of Idaho in the College of Art and Architecture for 16 years, retiring in 2011. After retirement, she served as a member of the University of Idaho Retirees Association, where she acted as treasurer.
Glenda was a well-known figure in the city of Moscow, always stopping to chat with friends young and old whom she would run into whenever going out. She could also frequently be found at the farmer’s market carrying a colorful array of fruits and vegetables — her favorite types of food.
Glenda loved traveling to quaint towns and seeking out eclectic furnishings and artwork from local vendors. She loved working outside on her flowers, shrubs and bushes, something you might have seen reflected in colorful gardens around her house. She loved cooking for her friends and family, and organizing get-togethers around the holidays centered on her delicious meals. She loved her children, both of who miss her dearly, always thinking of them before herself.
A memorial service will be held from 4-6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 9, at the 1912 Center, 412 E. Third St., Moscow.
