Rae "Avis" Gardner

   Rae “Avis” Gardner, passed away April 13, 2015 at the age of 82.  She was born February 5, 1933,  in Helper, to Evelyn Wiseman and Roman Gonzales.  
    Avis grew up and lived in the Uintah Basin and Salt Lake City.  She moved to Washington state in the 90's to be closer to her family and has lived with several of her children in Utah and Washington in the last ten years.  
    Avis was known to many as “Ma”, both by friends and family.  Avis enjoyed raising her children and being involved in her grandchildren’s lives as well.  Her sense of humor and imagination made her a great playmate and she would entertain her grandchildren with great stories of her childhood, colorful songs and poems and passing down her great talent of crochet.  She loved all animals, wild and tame, and had some sort of small dog by her side most of her life.
    Avis will be greatly missed by those left behind: her three sons Darrell Robert (Rebekah) Christensen, Jack Ray (Dianne) Christensen, William Jeffery (Retha) Jaramillo, her 5 daughters Deborah Audri (Ed) Christensen, Bolena Marie Holmes, Tamara Una Cisneros, Avis Audri (Michael) Erickson and Elisha Michelle Tuckey.  She will also be remembered by her 36 grandchildren, 46 great-grandchildren and 1 great-great grandchild.  There will be several more family members, adopted kids/grandkids and many friends that will miss Ma.
    Avis passed away in her home in Spokane, WA.  For days leading up to her passing, she was surrounded by all of her children and several grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She was embraced by incredible love and energy.  The family would like to thank Spokane Hospice for all their help and special thanks to her daughter Tammy and granddaughters Angelica and Annie for their part in caregiving for her in her last weeks.
    Avis was welcomed into Heaven by her parents, 3 brothers, 3 sisters, sons Timothy and Allen, a daughter Carol and grandson Jack Florentino Zepeda.
    A memorial service will be held on Sunday, May 3, 2015, at 11:00 a.m. at the Hullinger Mortuary.  Her cremated remains will then be laid to rest in the Reed Cemetery in Farmcreek, Utah.