Frances Gardner, a longtime Malibu resident, died Saturday in Westchester after a brief illness. She was 89.
Gardner was born in Atascadaro on Feb. 24, 1917, but she grew up in Malibu in the family home at 21551 Rambla Vista. Her parents, Walter and Jeanette Gunn were community pioneers. When the Gunns built their home overlooking Pacific Coast Highway in 1933, it was the only house on the hill.
Gardner took the school bus to Santa Monica High School, graduating from the “Queen of the Setting Sun” in 1935. After earning her bachelor’s degree from Whittier College in 1931, she earned a master’s degree in social work from USC in 1941.
Gardner and her husband, Richard, were married in Los Angeles in 1945, one day after her 27th birthday and shortly after he completed his combat duty in the Pacific Theater during World War II as a captain in the United States Marine Corps.
In 1950, they settled in Westchester but returned to the Malibu family home in 1959, where they stayed until the 1994 fire destroyed the home.
Throughout their years in Malibu, the Gardners were active in a number of community activities, especially as members of Malibu Presbyterian Church, where Richard Gardner was an elder and Frances Gardner was part of the administrative staff of the nursery school.
Avid travelers, the Gardners were able visit every continent on the globe.
Deciding not to rebuild after the Malibu fire, they returned to the Westchester home they had lived in during the ’50s and once again became active in the affairs of both Covenant Presbyterian Church and the Men’s Club of the Westchester YMCA.
In addition to her husband of 61 years, Gardner is survived by her two sons, Gary and Lee. Gary Gardner is a Presbyterian pastor who lives in Colorado and Lee Gardner is a legal assistant who lives in Boise, Idaho.
A memorial service will take place at 1 p.m. at Covenant Presbyterian Church in Westchester, located on the corner of 80th and Sepulveda.
In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that all memorial gifts be donated to Covenant Presbyterian Church 6323 West 80th St., Los Angeles, CA 90045.