Lydia Pinela Gardner, 61 of Greeley, died on Sunday, January 17, 2010 at the North Colorado Medical Center.
She was born to Salvadore Pinela & Socorro Lopez in Los Angeles, California.
Lydia married Richard L. Gardner on June 6, 1982 in Leadville, Colorado. The couple moved to Greeley from Redding, California in 1998.
Mrs. Gardner graduated from Aims Community College in 2009 where she earned her Associates of Applied Sciences Degree in Business Administration. She worked for the Weld School District 6 at Bella Romero Elementary School as an Office Manager for a number of years and recently worked for the Weld District Audiology Clinic. She enjoyed gardening and spending time with her family. One of her special passions was mentoring Latina women.
Survivors include her husband, Dick Gardner of Greeley; 4 daughters, Loretta Connatser and her husband Kenneth of Hawaii, Geneva Castro'Lichtenstein and her husband David of Molokai, Hawaii, Tracy Ann Hammond and her husband Scott of Florence, Colorado and Jodi Gardner of Peyton, Colorado; her son, Richard Gardner Jr. and his wife, Daiva of Loveland; 7 grandchildren, Noah Connatser, Bianca Connatser, Racine Arnold, Cody Gardner, Kacy Lynn Gardner, Matthew Mercado, Seth Lichtenstein and Stephen Alderson; 1 great grand daughter, Addison Arnold; her sister, Irene Pinela Bandin of Denver; her brother, Larry Rodriguez of Arriba, Colorado. She is preceded in death by her parents, Salvadore and Socorro Pinela and a brother, Jesus "Chuy" Rodriguez.
A memorial service to celebrate Lydia's life will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 21, 2010 at the Greeley Wesleyan Church, 3600 W. 22nd Street in Greeley.
In lieu of flowers, your memorial gift donations may be made to "A Woman's Place" shelter in care of Moser Funeral Service, 3501 S. 11th Avenue, Evans, Colorado 80620.