Service:
Kent Belgian Dutch Canadian Club
34 Byng Ave, Chatham
Saturday April 8, 2023
11:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
It is with such sadness that we announce the passing of our mother Suzanne Mae (Haydon) Gardiner at Riverview Gardens on Monday March 13, 2023 at the age of 82 years. She was predeceased by our father Charlie Gardiner in 2019.
Mom and Dad were married for 57 years. Mom was a strong-willed person and didn’t pull any punches in making her opinions known; not just to Dad but to everyone. She could argue that day is night or night is day but in the end she was always about love and caring for others. She and Dad cared and raised us 3 kids; Annette (Mark), Ray and Bill (Jen), always instilling in us the values of family, love and caring, and they encouraged us to be the best that we could be. We were all heartbroken when Ray passed away in 2016.
Mom was always there for us…through good and bad, she always supported us. And as many know, her caring did not stop just with her children. She cared just as much for her many nieces and nephews, her friends and their families and the community at large, even total strangers. She was involved in Girl Guides, Scouting, Jaycettes/Jaycees and other such organizations over the years. She and Dad loved their second family at Campers Cove in Wheatley where they were seasonal campers for over 36 years. They were highly involved in organizing and participating in many camp activities during their many years there and continued to do the same in Bushnell Florida after Dad’s retirement.
Mom lived for her grandchildren Vanessa, Bill (Jr.) and Kate, as well as her Great Grandkids Teagan, Pheobe, Owen, Ryker and Jacob. She always lit up given the chance to spend time with them. She was very happy and excited when her little sister Roberta “Bunny” moved back to Chatham as she missed seeing her.
In the last few years Mom suffered from Alzheimer’s and made Riverview Gardens her home. She was cared for with love and compassion by the staff on 6 West there and our family can’t thank them enough for all they did for her over the past 3 years, especially given all the challenges from COVID.
If you want to do something to remember Mom, do a good deed for someone in your family or your community. Hug your grandchildren as often as you can, while you can. And challenge your kids because maybe sometimes day is night and night is day…either way, they’re going to love you for that someday!
A Celebration of Life will take place at the Kent Belgian Dutch Canadian Club, 34 Byng Ave, Chatham on Saturday April 8, 2023 from 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
