Martha Gardner

Martha Grover Gardner died on Tuesday November 25, 2025 at her home in Sandy, Utah. She was 82 years old. 

Martha was born February 12, 1943, in Nassau County, New York to Roscoe Abner and Arlene Harris Grover. Her family moved to Cedar City, Utah before settling in Salt Lake City where she grew up on Virginia Street and attended East High School. She then earned her nursing degree from the University of Utah and upon graduation began working as a nurse. While attending church, she met James Dixon Gardner, who was completing a medical internship at LDS Hospital and they began dating. She hated being the center of attention and preferred privacy, so much so that the two did not sit together at church until they announced their engagement. After a short courtship, they were married on November 9, 1971. Not long after marriage, they moved to Manhattan, Kansas, where James served as a doctor in the Army for two years at Ft. Riley. They established ties in Kansas and after a discharge from the Army and a brief stint back in Utah to complete a medical residency, they returned to Manhattan where James opened a medical practice. They raised their family in Kansas and resided there for more than 50 years. They returned to Utah in her final days. 

Martha was a lady of many labels. From her father, an artist, she gained an appreciation for art. She volunteered at her children's elementary school as "The Picture Lady" where she would captivate the children by showing them various art books and paintings, teaching them about artists and their methods and masterpieces. Every trip with her children to a big city was accompanied by visits to the museums. She loved to learn and teach her children about numerous subjects by providing them with experiences to broaden their thinking. She adorned her home with paintings and books creating a cultured environment for her family.

Following the example of her mother, Martha loved good food, hosting dinners and open houses, and seemingly knowing something about everything. To many teenagers in her church, she was known as "The Etiquette Lady" because she would often teach lessons on etiquette and table manners. She had dishes and napkins for every occasion and could hold a conversation on any subject. She loved to cook and filled her bookshelves with cookbooks of all kinds. She was always willing to try a new recipe and then asked those who ate it to become food critics by instructing them to rate the dish on a scale of 1-5, and she demanded an honest rating. She hosted countless Sunday dinners and open houses in her home and provided people with a warm place where they knew they would be well fed and engaged in light-hearted conversation.

To many of her friends and family Martha was lovingly referred to as "The Crazy Lady." She was known for having a sharp wit and crafty sense of humor that would keep people on their toes and sometimes put them on their heels. She loved to visit with guests in her living room by the fireplace and enjoyed lengthy phone calls with family and friends. She often hid her emotions and was sensible and practical. However, underneath her armor of pragmatism, she was tender-hearted and astonishingly generous. There were many young families and others who stayed as short-term guests in her home during a time of need. She also served in many capacities in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and faithfully exemplified Christ-like service to people from all walks of life.

Martha is survived by her husband, James Dixon Gardner, and six children, Robert (Michelle) Gardner, Genevieve Gardner, Thomas (Karissa) Gardner, Stewart (Jamie) Gardner, Elizabeth (John) Guernsey, and Richard (Tina) Gardner as well as fourteen grandchildren. 

In accordance with Martha's wishes, no funeral will be held. She'd rather have you enjoy a delicious lunch that includes dessert. In lieu of flowers, the family requests you take yourself and a loved one to lunch or make a donation to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Humanitarian Aid Fund or PBS, two organizations she consistently supported.