Betty Ann Posey Gardner

Betty Ann (Posey) Gardner of Quarryville, Pennsylvania fell asleep in the Lord on Feb 8,2022 at the Quarryville Presbyterian Retirement Community at the age of 91. She died of Covid-19, and was surrounded by her children at the time of her home-going.

Posey, as she was known to her many friends, was born in Philadelphia, Mississippi, (Neshoba County), where her father John Leonard Posey was the Postmaster. Her mother was Nellie Pearl (Tingle) Posey, a schoolteacher and homemaker.

An avid watercolorist, reader, and world traveler, Posey’s greatest gifts were in gracious hospitality and in teaching. A graduate of Millsaps College, she taught public school in Mississippi prior to marriage and motherhood. She married Peyton Gardner on June 21, 1953. In 1965, the Gardner family relocated from Hattiesburg, Mississippi to Wilmington, Delaware. Following the death of their youngest daughter Sarah Jane in 1969, Posey began a second teaching career at Wilmington Christian School. In addition to raising three daughters, Posey and Pete hosted international students and many guests in their home, which was a center of beauty, comfort, and warmth.

Posey and her husband selflessly served Emmanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church in Wilmington, DE, where they have been members for 56 years. There, Posey taught Sunday School for over 50 years. She also taught the congregation’s children in catechism class, vacation bible school, and served on the women’s committee BYKOTA (Be Ye Kind To One Another) in addition to supporting her husband’s career as a mechanical engineer and his service to the church as a long-time elder, trustee, treasurer, presbyter, church musician, and chairman of the Trinity Hymnal Revision Committee. She also volunteered her time in benevolence ministries, including at a local nursing home. She was a member of Kappa Delta Sorority and the AAUW.

Her greatest earthly joy was in being a grandmother to 7 and great-grandmother to 8 (with another great-grandchild expected this summer.) Pete and Posey attended their grandchildren’s special events (video camera in hand), took each of their grandchildren to Disney World in turn, provided special Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving and birthday celebrations, organized a beach week each summer for their descendants, hosted “Camp Mimi” and sent cards at every holiday. She was a world-class party thrower and gift-giver.

She is preceded in death by her parents, her sisters: Sarah Kathleen Posey Smith (and husband Sut), and J’Nell Posey Coffman (and husband Charlie); by her beloved youngest daughter, Sarah Jane Gardner; and by a niece, Deborah Coffman Juzwiak.

She is survived by her husband of 68 years, Peyton Harris Gardner; her daughters Kathryn Ann Gardner Adams (husband Jonathan) and Martha Peyton Gardner Zeher (husband Michael): her seven grandchildren, Ashley Elizabeth (Adams) Ewer, Jennifer Leigh Zeher, Sarah Peyton Adams Hill (husband Matthew), Peyton Gardner Zeher (wife Chelsea), Jordan David Adams (wife Blair), Benjamin John Zeher, and Anne Gardner (Adams) McPherson (husband Sean); and her eight great-grandchildrem; Taylor Joseph Fryer, Jonathan Robert Ewer, Isaac Oliver Ewer, Vayda Peyton Zeher, Eve Victoria Ewer, Samuel Walter McPherson, Reagan Alexandra Hill, and Ezra Gardner McPherson. She is further survived by her nieces; Emily Smith Matheny (husband Mark), Elizabeth Smith Small (husband Tom), Marilyn Coffman Bomar (husband Jeff), Betsy Gardner Tannehill (husband Bob), and Cary Gardner Drennen (husband Vic), and by her great-nieces and nephews, and her great-great-nieces and nephews.

A Visitation will be from 5 to 8 PM at Chandler Funeral Home, 2506 Concord Pike, Wilm., DE 19803 on Friday, February 25, 2022 and from 9 to 10AM at Emmanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church, 1006 Wilson Rd., Wilm., DE 19803 on Saturday February 26, 2022 followed by a Funeral Service at 10:00 AM, interment will follow at Gracelawn Memorial Park. All are welcome to lunch at the church following the interment.

Memorial contributions can be made to Emmanuel Orthodox Presbyterian Church 1006 Wilson Rd Wilmington De 19803 or Wilmington Christian School 825 Loveville Rd Hockessin, DE 19707.