SNELLVILLE, Ga. – Phyllis Jean (Bruce) Gardner was born April 10, 1929, in the small mill town of Millinocket.

She graduated from George W. Stearns High School in 1947 and attended the University of Maine-Orono where she majored in English and graduated in 1952. She married Bernard L. Gardner in 1953 at Ft. Leonard Wood, Mo. where Bernard was stationed in the Army.

Upon Bernard’s graduation from college a job opportunity took them to Wisconsin where they raised their three daughters. As was typical of the time, Phyllis was a homemaker.

1974 found her back in New England and in 1980 Phyllis returned to “God’s Country”- Maine.

Phyllis was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for more than 60 years. She taught the little children, the teenagers, and the women of the congregations she was a part of.

Phyllis moved to Snellville, Ga. in 2015 where family could help her care for Bernard. Phyllis passed away August 26, 2021, at the home of her daughter, Kim in Snellville Ga. She was

surrounded by those who loved her best, her daughters Kim, Kerry, and Heather.

Phyllis is survived by her daughters, Kimberly Regan (Kenneth) of Snellville, Ga., Kerry Green (Richard) of Torrington, Conn., Heather Johnson of High Point, N.C., Melodie Foster (Hank) of Hopedale, Mass. who has been like a daughter for many years; her foster daughter, Margie Garcia of Racine, Wis.; and her brother, Malcolm Bruce of Danvers, Mass. She has eight grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her husband, Bernard; her grandson, Sean Regan; and her sister, Joann Bruce Scott.

Relatives and friends are invited to a public visitation 7 to 9 p.m., Friday, Sept. 10 at the Windham Chapel of Dolby, Blais and Segee, 434 River Rd. Her funeral will be held 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 11, at the Windham Ward of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 755 River Rd., Windham, ME 04062. Interment will be at Forest City Cemetery in South Portland.

To express condolences and to participate in Phyllis’ online tribute, please visit http://www.DolbyBlaisSegee.com.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Humanitarian fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints: give.ChurchofJesusChrist.org/humanitarian-aid to donate on-line. If you’d rather mail in your donation in memoriam, please use the

following address:

Philanthropies

1450 N. University Ave.,

Provo, UT 84604.

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