Margaret C. Gardner, a substitute teacher active in Scouting, died Thursday of complications after heart surgery at George Washington Medical Center in Washington. The Millersville resident was 82.
Margaret Callen was born and raised in Loretto, Pa., and moved to Baltimore in the 1940s to work as a legal secretary for several downtown firms.
Mrs. Gardner was a substitute Anne Arundel County elementary school teacher for 25 years and was active in the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and community recreation activities.
Family members said her many years of service to the Elvaton Recreation Association were recognized when Elvaton Park, off Dogwood Road in Millersville, was dedicated in 1974 in honor of Margaret and Donald Gardner, her husband of 60 years, a retired Navy machinist.
She was a founding member of St. Bernadette Roman Catholic Church, 801 Stevenson Road in Severn, and served there as sacristan, Eucharistic minister and parish council secretary. A Mass of Christian burial will be offered there at 11 a.m. today.
In addition to her husband, survivors include five sons, Donald Gardner of Charlotte, N.C., William Gardner of Westminster and Joseph Gardner, Kenneth Gardner and Michael Gardner, all of Millersville; three daughters, Maureen Little of Des Moines, Iowa, Virginia Crespo of Millersville and Elizabeth Spears of Crownsville; a brother, Jack Spahr of Arlington, Va.; five sisters, Mary Ellen Rice, Dorothy McGeary and Grace Santella, all of Loretto, Jean Servinsky of Johnstown, Pa., and Joan Bradley of Dover, Del.; 27 grandchildren; and 13 great-grandchildren. A son, Ronald Gardner, died last year.
