Lola Alice (Stanger) Gardiner Smith

Lola Alice Stanger Gardiner Smith, age 84, died peacefully at her home on March 9, 2017 in SLC, Utah, under the care of her youngest sons Jeff and Kevin Gardiner. She was born on September 29, 1932 to Mable Alice Moffett Stanger and Ceril Baugh Stanger in Burley, Idaho.

Lola grew up in various parts of the Intermountain West with her younger brother Jay and baby sister Irene. She graduated high school in Wendell, Idaho in the spring of 1950.

Lola married Boyd Little Gardiner on October 27, 1951 in Wendell, Idaho. Their marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple. She gave birth to Boyd Ceril Gardiner in Sept. 1952, Thomas Alma Gardiner in Sept. 1953, David Eugene Gardiner in May 1955, Valerie Jane in January, 1957, Kevin Jay Gardiner in August, 1960 and Jeffery Allen Gardiner in Sept. 1962. After 17 years of marriage she and Boyd L. Gardiner divorced.

As much of a feat of endurance that all was, in the grand scheme of things it might not amount to much more than a snowflake on the tip of the iceberg. . .

Did I mention she was fiercely independent? A trait I suspect she learned from her father, Ceril.

Although she divorced Dad about 50 years ago she apparently liked being married since she did it four more times. Which reminds me of what she used to say to me incessantly when I was a little boy. "If at first you don't succeed, try try again." This has turned out to be relentlessly good advice.

Lola was a caring soul imparting absolute love to anyone's and everyone's kids regardless of age, gender, or station. Mom possessed an intrinsic ability to know who could really use what she had to offer. Which was always pure love. Nothing more, nothing less.

In 2010, she experienced fairly severe cardio insufficiencies exacerbated by diabetic manifestations that had gone unchecked for a decade or more.

Mom's children, then in our fifties and forties resigned ourselves to the reality we had likely spent our last Thanksgiving with our Momma.

Lola was preceded in death by her sister Irene, her nephews Tim and Scott Rosen and more recently, her brother Jay.

Lola is survived by her six children, six grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren.

She is also survived by several nieces and nephews, including all their progeny, as well as the plethora of souls young and old whose hearts she found a way to touch and include into her fold.

We want to express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to Jeff, for his dedicated and gentle care of Mom during her extended illness.

Services will be held at Goff Mortuary, 8090 South State Street, Midvale, Utah 84047 on Saturday, March 18, 2017. Viewing from 10:00-10:45 am. Funeral at 11:00 am. Burial in Pleasant Grove City Cemetery.