Catherine "Cathy" Gardner
January 5, 1952 ~ August 30, 2024
Born in:
Asheville, North Carolina
Resided in:
Arden, North Carolina
Catherine “Cathy” Gardner, a beloved mother, grandmother, teacher, and friend, passed away peacefully in her sleep at 2:30 a.m. on August 30, 2024, at the age of 72.
Born in January 5th, 1952 to Walter Scott Burge and Betty Ann Hahn, Cathy was preceded in death by her parents, her sister Dorothy “Dottie” Burge and her cherished son, Joshua Nicholas Gardner. She is survived by her devoted husband of 49 years, James “Bill” Gardner, her loving son, Matthew Scott Gardner, Her daughter-in-love, Glori Keating-Gardner, and her two grandsons, Joshua James Gardner and Daniel Scott Gardner, who brought immense pride and joy to her life. She will be dearly missed by her sister Kathy “Kay” Gerhardt and stepmother Nancy Clark.
Cathy’s life was a testament to the power of love, creativity, and hospitality. As the matriarch of the family, she created a warm and welcoming environment where family and friends alike were treated as kin. Her home was often filled with the comforting aromas of homemade dishes, lovingly prepared for all who entered her door to create tradition with lifelong memories. She was not only a dedicated and loyal wife, but also an incredible mother who found great pleasure in giving gifts to her son, daughter-in-love and grandchildren. She was always finding ways to show love and make everyone feel special whether you were a family member, friend or a stranger in need of encouragement.
A dedicated high school teacher for 35 years, Cathy had a heart for her students, nurturing them with wisdom, compassion, and a steadfast commitment to helping them grow into successful men and women. Her passion for education extended far beyond the classroom, as she maintained lifelong relationships with her students, offering encouragement, counsel, and unwavering support.
Cathy had an eye for fashion and design, which was evident in every corner of her life. Whether through her carefully chosen outfits or the beautifully decorated spaces she crafted, her creativity left a lasting footprint. She had a unique talent for making the ordinary extraordinary, transforming everyday moments into something special through her keen sense of style and attention to detail. She also had a genuine love for antiques as not only a collector, but as someone who would light-up and draw you in when she shared the history of that era.
Cathy will be deeply missed by all who knew her, but her legacy of love, creativity, and devotion will continue to live on in the hearts of those she touched.
A Funeral Service will be held starting at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, September 4 in the Chapel of Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian with burial to follow at Calvary Churchyard. Her family will greet friends at the funeral home on Wednesday afternoon from 1:00 until 2:00 PM.
In lieu of flowers, her family graciously asks that memorial donations be made to Brother Wolf Animal Rescue.
Services
Funeral Service: September 4, 2024 2:00 pm
Room: Chapel
Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian
72 Long Shoals Road
Arden, NC 28704
(828)687-3530
http://www.grocefuneralhome.com
Visitation: September 4, 2024 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm
Room: Chapel
Groce Funeral Home at Lake Julian
72 Long Shoals Road
Arden, NC 28704
(828)687-3530
http://www.grocefuneralhome.com
Burial: - September 4, 2024 3:00 pm
Calvary Episcopal Churchyard
Hendersonville Road
Fletcher, NC 28732
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Cathy my dear friend I will miss talking to you
We worked together for 28 years and ate lunch together every day. We cried together and we laughed together. So many memories. You were not just a work friend. You were a 24 hour 365 days friend. You know I loved you and I knew you loved and cared about me. It was always you and me and Virginia and Elizabeth
You were a wonderful person inside and out
I know that you belonged to God and I do too
We will see one another again. Honey until we meet again fly high with the Angels my friend.
One of my favorite teachers! She loved fashion and was always dressed up heels and all. We all felt her love as her students. Fly high until we meet again 🌸🌹🌺🌼🌻
A true lady, a great example to us young girls as Highschool students. “Southern women don’t sweat, we glisten”
I still say this and she left a touch of class on all of those who experienced her 💝💖
Oh how sad I am to hear about Cathy. What a darling she was! Matthew and Bill, I am thinking of you both. Much love.
I am from Atlanta and met Cathy as a customer at the Talbots outlet where she worked. We hit it off right away and any time I visited Asheville, I stopped in to shop and to visit with her. She taught me lots in a short amount of time about what styles looked good on me, etc. I’m so sad to hear of her passing and will always remember her with a smile. Much love and prayers to all her family. I know she will leave a huge hole in your hearts.
You will be so missed Mrs.Gardner. You were a wonderful teacher who helped so many students. Rest easy now. God bless you and your family in this hard time.
Cathy posted regularly on the QVC forums. She has a great many friends on that site who are mourning her passing today. She spoke often of her family, friends, and her shopping finds. Her family and friends are in our prayers. RIP.
I was lucky to have known Cathy and her sharing her love and stories of Shadow with me.
I know how much she loved her family.
Bill, Matthew and all, I am so sorry to hear of the loss of your loving Cathy, mother and all she was to so many.
I am picturing her decorating in heaven and rescuing and loving any little strays, even little mice
like she did! I know we will meet again.💞-
with love,
Carol
Mrs. Gardner was very dear to me and the influence she had in my life as an educator changed the trajectory of my future. She was my teacher at Erwin but became a dear friend to me later in life. She was kind, compassionate, welcoming, honest, loving, eccentric, funny, witty, and a host of other wonderful traits. I will always have the most fond memories of her. My most sincere condolences and heartfelt prayers to all who knew and loved her.
Love,
Erica Pittman
Erwin Class of 2005
You will be missed QVC poster
I am so very sorry for your loss of this precious lady! “Clyde A Erwin Class of ’81” I remember her talking about her precious family and how much she loved ya’ll. Throughout the years we would run into each other and pick right back up where we left off. Hold tight to the memories and love! She will be greatly missed!
Cathy you are a light unto yourself! when I entered your home it was truly a home of love and I was greeted like a son/friend. You are already missed! but your memory will always be with me.
You will be missed on the boards ECGB
I never met Cathy in person but knew her as ECBG. We chatted on the QVC forums about family, our health, friends and of course our shopping finds. She truly touched my heart and I will miss her and I will think of her fondly. Rest in Eternal Peace my beautiful friend.
My condolences to her family and all who knew and loved her. She was a very special lady.