William and Kari Gardner
September 8, 2025
We love you Grandma. You will be missed ❤️
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Evelyn Venita Gardner, 89, of Sheboygan Falls, WI, passed away on September 06, 2025. She was born on April 5th, 1936 in Portageville, MO to William Albert ‘Burt’ Donahue and Dorothy Mirea (nee Adams). Dorothy married Pastor Charles Ross after the passing of Wm Donahue. Pastor Ross raised Evelyn as his own, without fear or favor.
Evelyn had a variety of interests and passions. She owned a restaurant in Roseland, IN for a short time in her late teens. She married Jon in 1968 and moved to Sheboygan Falls in 1972 where they bought a hobby farm. There she enjoyed growing vegetables and canning fruits and jams. She raised pigs, sheep, chickens and geese. Later, her interests transitioned indoors to aquariums, then to parakeets, parrots and Cockatoos. She spent some time raising Boxers and Lhasa Apsos, too. In January 1985, Evelyn graduated from Lakeshore Technical College with a degree in Practical Nursing. She worked at Heritage Nursing Center, Meadow View Manor and Sunny Ridge Nursing & Rehab where she retired from in 1999.
Evelyn was blessed with a large family. She was the oldest of 7 children, and mother of 6 who gave her 25 grandchildren which lead to 53 great-grandchildren, and 10 great-great-grandchildren.
She is preceded in death by her husband of 54 years, Jon D. Gardner, father William Donohue and Charles Ross, mother Dorothy (Adams) Ross, sister Faye Donahue, brother Walter Ross, grandson Jonathan R Gardner, brother-in-law Jim (Linda) Elzinga and son-in-law Darmon (Sherrie) Schoonmaker.
Evelyn is survived by children: Matt (Ashlie) Gardner, Tina (Richard) Hogan, Rodney (Paula) Barnaby, Sherrie Schoonmaker, Robert Gardner, and Sue Barnaby; siblings: Charles Ross, Linda Elzinga, Mary Jane (Art) Branch, Leonard (Sharon) Ross, and numerous nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and extended family. Evelyn could always count on her very dear friends Mary Ann and Darrell Strysick.
The family would like to offer special thanks to Brent Barron for the exceptional care he provided Evelyn as her live-in caregiver. His expertise and empathetic care gave the family peace of mind knowing that Evelyn was being well cared for in her own home in lieu of living in a nursing home during her last 8 months.
A memorial dinner will be held for family and friends on a later date. In lieu of flowers, please consider making donations in Evelyn’s name to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.