Kelly Gardner

Kelly Gardner passed away at home in Spanish Fork, Wednesday, September 7th, 2022, from liver failure. She was a friend to all she met, with a ready smile and a wicked sense of humor.

Kelly was the middle child of Eunice LaVon Ingram and Eugene LaVor Gardner, and was born January 24th, 1962, in Nephi, Utah; she grew up in Spanish Fork with two older sisters and two younger brothers. She loved olives, and as a child always received a jar of olives and some pickled pig's feet for Christmas.

Kelly was a member of 4-H with her two sisters Elaine and Teri, with their mom as their leader; she competed in sewing with her apparel in city and county competitions, and used her sewing skills throughout her life. During her secondary school years, she played the violin, and was also a talented gymnast, competing with the gymnastics team on the balance beam and parallel bars.

At age 17, she joined the Job Corps and went to South Dakota, studying secretary office management. While in South Dakota, she married (later divorced) Brad Anson; together they had their beautiful daughter Chenelle. Eventually, she married Nick George Gustas and had two beautiful daughters, Brittney and Nichole, in Price, Utah.

While living in Price in 1993, she started a union at the sewing factory, Koret of California. She also took college classes, hoping to become an art teacher. Kelly worked on a pipe line, keeping up with all the men, and also trained to be a heavy equipment operator. Later, she went to work at Wagner Heavy Equipment in Denver, Colorado, starting in the warehouse, and quickly moving into the lab.

Kelly was an excellent artist, a tomboy, very smart, had a beautiful smile, loved to laugh, and loved the outdoors and gardening.

Kelly was preceded in death by (estranged) husband, Nick George Gustas, and her parents LaVon and Gene. She is survived by her daughters Chenelle Anson, Brittney Gustas, and Nichole Martinez; her three grandchildren, Dyllan, Nicolas, and Aiden; and her siblings, Elaine (Todd) Losee, TeriLyn (Scotty) Fuller, Kyle (Cindy) Gardner, and Aaron (Julie) Gardner as well as Judy Spencer and Barbara (Jerry) Costello.

Kelly donated her body to U of U medical research. A memorial gathering for friends and family will be held at a later time.

The family would like to thank Kelly's friends for loving her and giving her so much grace, and iCare Hospice for their service and compassion.

Olives, Kelly! We love you!