Shirley LaVerta (Trolinger) Gardner passed away peacefully in her sleep on Jan. 29, 2024. She was born on Jan. 21, 1937, in Las Cruces, New Mexico to Durward Ross and Loleta Salome (Martin) Trolinger. She was the oldest of three daughters.
She married Lawrence Vernon Gardner on June 25, 1954, in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They went on to have four children: Loleta (Gardner) Petty, Charlene (Gardner) Little, Vernon Gardner, and Leland Gardner, all of Creswell. The family moved to Oregon in May of 1967. They eventually settled out west of Creswell.
Shirley loved the Nubian goats that she raised for their milk. She spent many years showing at the Lane County Fair, and many of her grandchildren helped with the animals at the fair. She and Larry were known to travel to Idaho to show her goats at fairs there. She was a superintendent of the Lane County Fair, and a member of Emerald Dairy Goat Association. Shirley and Larry were members of New Hope Baptist Church until his death in 2010.
Shirley is survived by her sister, Charlotte Ashland, of Creswell; three of her children; 11 grandchildren; 33 great-grandchildren; seven great-great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her mother Loleta in 1984, father Durward, son Vernon in 2002, nephew Philip Ashland, husband Larry in 2010, and sister Darlene 2014.
A celebration of life was held March 2 at New Hope Baptist Church in Creswell.
