Rose Anne Walsh Gardner

Rose Anne Gardner, 92, of San Marcos, CA, (formerly of Wheaton, KS and Lawrence, KS) died peacefully February 7, 2025, surrounded by her family. Born on July 26, 1932, Rose Anne was a devoted mother, grandmother and great grandmother as well as beloved sister, aunt, great aunt and cousin. She didn’t know a stranger and loved her large FBI family – (Full Blood Irish). Raised on a farm in Kansas, she left for San Diego and continued business school in 1954. There she met Bob Gardner, a Navy man, at a dance and they married in 1955. The couple and their growing family of six children lived in California, Kansas, and New Mexico finally settling in Lawrence, Kansas in 1968. The Gardner home was a hub for students, family and friends and no one in the family can recall one meal where additional guests weren’t included. Rose Anne worked at the St. Lawrence Catholic Center at KU and loved attending sporting events for the Jayhawks and her son’s baseball, basketball and football games. She was known to question a referee’s judgement, something that continued to her last days. She was honored at her first San Diego Padres game just a few years ago with a banner and her name on the big screen. And she never missed a KC Royals or Kansas City Chiefs game. Rose Anne’s Catholic faith was very important to her; her last “job” was at St. Martha’s Church in Murrieta, CA, where she made so many close friends. She had previously had a career working at Haskell Indian Junior College, Chuck E. Cheese and many more companies. She didn’t stop working until well past her 80th birthday! She leaves behind so many friends as well as her children, Colleen Gardner of Dillsboro, NC, Joanne (John) Lowell of Livingston, MT, Sharon (Mark) Sperry of Colorado Springs, CO, Greg (Laura) Gardner of San Marcos, CA, Maureen (Brad) Anderson of Menifee, CA and Leeanne Gardner of Cave Creek, AZ. Her grandchildren and great-grandchildren brought her so much joy and she loved spending time with them. Rose Anne traveled to China, Ireland, Hawaii and visited her family all over the country. Whether rafting down the Yellowstone River, or line dancing or enjoying the view from a glass bottom boat in Kailua-Kona, she was quick with a smile and always up for some fun. She reunited with many family members on a trip to Kansas in 2023, revisiting her family farm with her only surviving sibling, her beloved brother, Tom Walsh. Upon her death, the memories of so many came flooding in. Rose Anne (Mom) had a way of making everyone part of the family and those were the memories that were shared. In her last days, we asked Mom how she would show up to remind us she was around. She thought about it for just a minute and said – “A Cardinal. When you see a Cardinal, know that’s me.” Condolences may be shared at https://www.caringbridge.org. Just enter Rose Anne Gardner and you can access her page. Thanks to Evans Brown Mortuary in Sun City, CA and Kevin Brennan Family Funeral Home in Topeka, KS for managing the details. The family thanks all the staff at Pacifica Senior Living in Escondido, Scripps Hospital and Seacrest Village in Encinitas, and the angels with Hospice of the North Coast. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation in her name to Hospice of North Coast or St. Martha’s Church in Murrieta. A Memorial Mass will be held March 20th at St. Martha’s Church in Murrieta, CA. In Topeka, Kansas, visitation will be from 10 until 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 21, at Most Pure Heart of Mary Church, where Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m. Inurnment will follow at Mount Calvary Cemetery. Rose Anne was very proud of her Irish heritage and to honor that, please consider some wearin’ of the green. She would also ask you all to remember to be kind.

Rose Anne Walsh Gardner

July 26, 1932 - February 7, 2025