Ruth Elizabeth Bryson Gardner

Celebration of Her Life: 10 a.m., Saturday, January 2, 2016 at First Christian Church, 910 S. Collins, Arlington, Texas. The family will receive friends for a time of visitation at the church following the service. Family graveside service at 2 p.m., at Moore Memorial Gardens, 1219 North Davis Drive, Arlington, Texas. Serving as pallbearers will be Dan Gardner, Jeff Gardner, Jason Thomas, Justin Thomas, Jonathan Thomas, Alan Pimm, Chris Young, and Kevin Pimm.

Elizabeth was born in Guntown, Mississippi, December 15, 1913, to Earl and Ruth Cain Bryson and was the second oldest of six children. She graduated as high school salutatorian in Tchula, Mississippi and valedictorian at Sunflower Junior College in Moorhead, Mississippi. She attended Delta State Teacher’s College in Cleveland, Mississippi and graduated in 1935. She continued her education later in her life, earning a Master’s Degree in 1960 and a counselor’s certificate in 1965, both from Texas Wesleyan University. She was a teacher or counselor for 41 years in Mississippi and Texas.

She married John Gardner on October 8, 1938 in Jackson, Mississippi, in the minister’s parsonage. They were both teachers, but in 1946 John took a much better-paying job as salesman for Seven Day Wholesale Grocery in Woodville, Mississippi. Elizabeth taught in elementary school and raised their children John Jr, Betty, and Ruth as well as thousands of chickens.

In 1956 they moved to Arlington, TX where John became a math professor at Arlington State College and Elizabeth taught World History at Arlington High School, was counselor at Ousley Junior High and retired in 1977 as the counselor at Bailey Junior High. After retirement, Elizabeth and John traveled the world making great friends along the way, visiting every state and many countries. They often traveled in their RV and were widely known by their CB handle of Big John and Busy Lizzie.

Elizabeth and John joined Arlington First Christian Church in 1956, were local church leaders for their entire lives, and participated in national church conferences. Elizabeth continued to attend church up until a few weeks before her death, sitting in her favorite pew by her long-time friend Jane Wallace.

Elizabeth survived two World Wars, the Great Depression and experienced the world changing from horse drawn wagons to rockets landing on the moon, from manual typewriters to computers. In her 90’s, she enjoyed printing greeting cards and calendars for her friends and family from her computer.

Elizabeth was a Southern lady, with all the graciousness and hospitality that image brings. You could always depend on being fed a hearty meal, welcomed and cared for. She was a wonderful role model for her family.

Elizabeth was preceded in death by her husband John who died in 1998, her parents, and her five siblings; Earl Bryson, Billy Bryson, Charles Bryson, Stella Dunwood, and Louise Boynton.

SURVIVORS: Children, John Gardner, Jr and wife Carolyn of Corvallis, Oregon, Betty Thomas and husband Jerry of Arlington, Ruth Pimm and husband John of Trinidad, Texas; grandchildren, Dan Gardner and wife Susannah, Jeff Gardner and wife Kay, Jason Thomas and wife Brandi, Justin Thomas and wife Sheri, Jonathan Thomas and wife Cindy, Alan Pimm and wife Leisa, Jill Allison and husband Dave, Chris Young, Kevin Pimm and wife Julie and 18 great-grandchildren.

MEMORIALS: In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to First Christian Church of Arlington, 910 S Collins, Arlington 76010 or to the John A. Gardner Family Math Scholarship at The University of Texas at Arlington, PO Box 19198, Arlington 76019.