"Lou"
Alice Lucile "Lou" Gardner Anderson daughter of William N. and Alice L. (Iverson) Gardner, born May 10, 1923 in Delta, Ut., passed
away quietly from this life on Sunday, May 25, 2003, in Ventura, Ca. She had been a Calexico Ca. resident for nearly four decades although living in Ventura for the past five years.
After growing up in Delta and Salt Lake City, graduating from South High School and attending Westminster College, Lou moved to Philadelphia, Pa. where for several years she was a reporter and feature writer for the Philadelphia Inquirer. She returned to the west in 1954, living in Utah and Arizona. It was in Phoenix that she met longtime Imperial Valley resident and livestock dealer, William N. ("Bill") Anderson. They were wed and Bill and Lou made their home in Calexico. After Bill's death in 1971 she continued to live in the Calexico home.
Due to health problems, Lou moved to Ventura in 1998, where she continued to make friends and acquaintances, although her health was steadily worsening. Before her passing, she was blessed to have nieces and nephews, as well as grand-nephews and grand-nieces, visit her and be with her.
As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter - Day Saints, she continued to enlarge her faith and understanding, helped by local members of the Church. She counted that membership as one of the stable and constant forces in her life.
Lou will always be remembered as the "Auntie Mame" of the Gardner and Anderson families. Her taste in clothes bordered on the flamboyant, as did her personality. She was generous to a fault, helping and assisting others, and opening her home to those in need. She was unabashedly open in her love for life, and was always available to others who were in need of a buoying up or encouragement. Her life in retrospect now allows one to look back on her earthly journey, and to appreciate, even more so, the life she led and the effect it had on those with whom she came in contact.
She was preceded in death by her husband William N. Anderson of Calexico and Imperial Valley; and by her sister Stella (Gardner) Ashby of Phoenix and Ventura, CA. She is survived by four brothers: U.S. Gardner, Salt Lake City; A.L. Gardner, Las Vegas, NV; Ralph Gardner, Salt Lake City; D. Ray (Ginger) Elko, NV; many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, grand-nephews, children, grand-children, nieces and nephews of William Anderson.
Following her wishes there will be a private cremation. A memorial service celebrating her life will be held in August at a Gardner family reunion to be held in San Diego, August 7, 8, 9, 2003. Family and friends are invited to the service. Details regarding the specific date, place and time may be obtained by contacting Lou's brother. Ralph Gardner, 1489 Yuma St., Salt Lake City, UT, 84108.
Donations in her memory may be made to the Ventura County Medical Resource Foundation, affiliated with the Ventura County Medical Center, at 250 Citrus Grove Lane, Ste. 240, Oxnard, CA. 93030