Ramona Malm Gard

Ramona was born in Bismarck, ND to Harry and Walborg (Lundell) Malm.

Ramona moved from Bismarck, ND to Oregon at age 7 (1935); her family lived in a tent while her father built them a house.

She met Jesse 'Pete' Gard, Jr at Jefferson HS in Portland. They were in the same history class and sometimes flirted in the back of class. Mom loved to jitterbug, and Dad finally got up the courage to ask her out.

While Jesse was away at college, she worked in the auditing department at Sears, and then Olds and Kings department store in Portland.

As soon as Jesse graduated from college in 1951, they married and moved to Schenectady, NY and then to Richland, WA before settling once again in Portland.

Together they raised five children: Kristen Gard Hotchkiss (Douglas) of Bainbridge Island, WA, Steven J. Gard (Nancy) of Springfield OR, David L. Gard (Anne Boulet) of Salt Lake City, UT, Kathryn Gard Rosson (Charles) of Happy Valley, OR, and Kari Gard Scionti (Mark) of Dennis, MA. They had 13 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren.

Mom found joy in her family, her home, and her garden. She loved creative sewing projects, and working in her garden, a passion she shared with Jesse.

She encouraged and supported her children in their hobbies and hosted a menagerie of pets over the years, her favorite being cats. Once her youngest child was off to college, she began volunteering at Emanuel Hospital, work she continued for 24 years, believing in the importance of giving back to her community. Ramona and Jesse rediscovered their love of ballroom dancing and enjoyed many adventures together cruising the world and visiting with old friends.

Ramona’s family wishes to thank her caregivers at Mountain Park Memory Care and Bristol Hospice of Clackamas, Oregon for caring for her in her final years.

A funeral service for Ramona will be held Saturday, March 18, 2023 at 2:00 PM at Finley Sunset Hills Mortuary, 6801 SW Sunset Hwy, Portland, OR 97225 in the Great Hall Chapel.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.finleysunsethills.com for the Gard family.