VIDALIA — Services for Jeanette B. Gardner, 92, of Vidalia, who died Friday, April 29, 2016 at her residence, will be 10 a.m. Monday at First Baptist Church in Vidalia with the Rev. Tim Hubbard and the Rev. Ralph Webber officiating.

Visitation will be 5 to 7 p.m. today and 9 a.m. until service time Monday at First Baptist Church in Vidalia.

Burial will follow at Greenlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Natchez under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Mrs. Gardner was born Nov. 1, 1923 in Walker Springs, Ala., the daughter of Myron Nial Bowerman and Truman Jones Bowerman.

She attended public schools in Jackson, Ala. and also lived in Mobile, Ala. She worked at the Illinois Central Railroad Company during the World War II years.

Mrs. Gardner met her husband while she was living in Mobile during WWII on a blind date. They married on March 16, 1946 in Bastrop, La. She lived in Bastrop before moving to Natchez in 1951 and to Vidalia in 1952.

Mrs. Gardner worked at J. C. Penney in downtown Natchez in the 1960s and West Brothers in Vidalia. She was an excellent cook, seamstress and homemaker throughout her life. She was a Sunday school teacher for over fifty years and active in other church groups. She was a member of the local home demonstration club.

She survived breast cancer in 1960 and encouraged many of her friends who also faced that battle.

Mrs. Gardner was an avid baseball fan and an accomplished dominoes player as well. Her love of baseball grew when she attended many baseball parks with her husband during his retirement years.

Her love of her family was known throughout the community and many knew her and called her “Granny.” Countless meals were lovingly prepared and served at her home to family, friends of family, visiting revival ministers throughout the years as she faithfully served her church.

She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, A. J. Gardner; two brothers, James Clifford Bowerman and Robert Nial Bowerman; five sisters, Nina B. Tinnea, Myrtle Bowerman, Sally B. McClinton, Frances B. Agee and Dorothy B. Reynolds, all of Alabama.

Survivors include her son, Ronny Gardner and his wife JoAnn of Vidalia; daughter, Linda Gardner of Vidalia; brother, Nial D. Bowerman of Jackson, Ala.; granddaughters, Tiffany G. Sanford and husband Guy of Moselle; Bridget G. King and her husband Leigh of Natchez; great grandchildren, JoAnna Sanford, Cameron Sanford, Morgan King, Sela King and Davin King; and a number of nieces and nephews in Bastrop, La. and in Alabama.

The family would like to thank Four Rivers Home Health, Dr. Dennis Laravia, Caring Hearts Hospice and longtime sitter Paulette Cameron for their compassionate service and special friend Judy Kelly for her many visits during her recent years.

The family requests donations made to the Alzheimer’s Association or local Relay for Life teams to benefit the American Cancer Society.

Pallbearers will be Leigh King, Cliff McClinton, Shane McDaniel, Tommy Probst, Guy Sanford and Claire Shields.

Honorary pallbearers will be Bobby Farrish, Ryan Kelly, Gene Reynolds, Harold Agee, Larry Agee, Chess Bowerman, Carl Tinnea Jr. and Noble Tinnea.

Online condolences may be sent to lairdfh.com.