Mary Eleanor Gardner, 91, of Rochester, died peacefully at home of ovarian cancer on Thursday, May 12, 2016.

Mary was born June 3, 1924 in Orion Township, Olmsted County, MN to Lawrence F. and Ruth I. (Towey) Flynn. She received both her high school diploma and post-graduate training from Chatfield High School in 1941 and 1942. During World War II she worked in Chicago, IL for Chicago Metal Hose before returning to Rochester where she worked at the Mayo Clinic.

She met Darrell E. Gardner of Chatfield in 1946. They were married at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oakland, CA on January 25th, 1947. They moved with two of their children back to Rochester in 1950.

Mary was a homemaker and also worked part-time for Adamson Motors and the Rochester Post Bulletin before retiring in 1986. She enjoyed doing crosswords, reading and traveling, having been to 47 of the 50 states as well as England, Scotland and Ireland. She was a long time parishioner of St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church, Rochester, MN.

She is preceded in death by her husband in 1988; two brothers, Thomas Flynn and James "Pete" Flynn, and one sister, Kathyrn Abraham.

Survivors include 8 children; Mary Kathryn (Patrick) Spencer, Appleton, WI, William (Connie), Rochester, MN, Margaret Gardner, Gilbert, AZ, Samuel (Mary Zirbes), Rochester, MN, David (Julie Chapman), Bloomington, MN, John (Rose), Farmington, MN, Elizabeth "Libby" (Scott) Adams, Mantorville, MN, and Diane (Brian) Zeltins, Gilbert, AZ. One brother, Richard Flynn, Minneapolis, MN and one sister, Teresa Nissen, Burnsville, MN. 14 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

Funeral Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:00AM, Monday, May 16, 2016 at St. Francis Catholic Church, with Father Mark McNea officiating. Burial will be at St. Bridget's Cemetary, Simpson, MN. Visitation will be at River Park Chapel, Macken Funeral Home from 4:00-7:00PM on Sunday, May 15, 2016, and one hour prior to the service at the church on Monday.

The family would like to thank Seasons Hospice for their services.