Gladys Mockford Gardner

Gladys Gardner, 95, passed away on February 16, 2025, in Farmers Branch, Texas. A graveside service will be held on March 10, 2025 at 2:00pm, at Forest Park Westheimer Cemetery in Houston, TX, with Dale Mockford officiating.

Gladys Lucile Mockford was born on January 5, 1930, in Greenville, Texas, to Lynna and Phil Mockford. She was the middle child of three siblings. She graduated from high school at the age of 16 and attended East Texas State Teachers College, where she received her BA in Education in 1949 and continued her education in the summers at ETSTC to complete her Masters degree in Education.

Gladys and her beloved husband, John D. Gardner were married on July 10, 1971, and although they never had children of their own, Gladys was a second mother to her nieces and nephew and devoted 30 years of her life to teaching first graders in Pittsburg, TX and Houston, TX. In retirement, she continued her care for children by volunteering as a Sunday School teacher for 2-year-olds at Wilcrest Baptist Church for ten years. She was also a 55+ Volunteer for Partners in Caring at Memorial Hermann Hospital in Houston, TX for ten years. She was devoted to her Boston Terriers, particularly Rory, who brought meaning to her final years.

Gladys was a long-time resident of Houston, TX, but moved to Austin, TX in 2015, and then to Farmers Branch, TX in 2025, to be near family. Throughout these years, she attended church at South Main Baptist Church and Wilshire Baptist Church in Houston, TX and Hyde Park Baptist Church in Austin, TX, where she found dear friends to share her life with.

She was preceded in death by her husband, John D. Gardner, parents, Dr J. Philip Mockford and Lynna Rash Mockford; sister, Nancy M. Ratchford, brother, Phil Mockford, brothers-in-law, E. Winston McCall and William C. Ratchford, Jr., and great-great-nephew, Everett Winston Barr.

She will be greatly missed by her surviving family, sister-in-law, Jane Mockford, nieces, Lydia Bratcher (Kent), Lisa Moreno (Eduardo), and Laurie Barr (Britten), nephew, Dale Mockford (Ludessa) and step nephews, Douglas Ratchford (Lynnett) and David Ratchford (Mary Jane). She had a host of great-nieces and great-nephews who loved their Aunt Gladys: Blake Bratcher, Claire Messerall (Brett), Benjamin Barr (Michelle), Larkin Timmerman (Christopher), Ellen Wilson, Winston Barr (Sonalie), Lynna Mockford, and great-step niece, Meredith Ratchford and great-step nephew, John Ratchford. And then there was the joy of having great-great-nephew, Ellis Barr and great-great-nieces, Juniper Barr, Olivia Messerall, Margot Messerall, and arriving just days before her death, Aurelia Barr.

In lieu of flowers, those so inclined are encouraged to do something to enrich the life of a child in honor of Gladys.

The family wishes to thank the staff and communities at Brookdale Northwest Hills and Brookdale Farmers Branch, as well as St David’s Hospice and Arabella Hospice for their care and friendship to Gladys in her final days.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared with Gladys’ family at rhotonfuneralhome.com.