HOLLY GENE GARNER, BOWDEN, DUCE
It’s with mixed feelings of sadness and joy that the family of Gene Duce announces her passing on Monday, Feb. 1, 2021. She is now reunited with her eternal companion Richard Odell Bowden who was killed in a construction accident in 1969.
Gene was born Dec. 27, 1927 in Cardston, Alberta to Harold Wayne Garner and Vila Kate Gedleman. She was the oldest of four children born to that union. She was named Holly because she was a Christmas baby. All of her siblings were born while the family farmed along the Belly River near Hillspring. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Raymond because her father had secured employment with the Canadian Sugar Factory there. Most of her schooling was received in Raymond and she graduated high school there. Her summer holidays were spent babysitting, cleaning and cooking for various families. She also worked for a couple of farmers topping beets and harvesting potatoes. She was paid 10 cents a row for sacking the potatoes.
At the age of 17 she went to work for Alberta Government Telephones as an operator. That enabled her parents to get their first phone. She was employed there until June of 1952 when she was called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Central Atlantic States Mission. The mission was headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia and encompassed North Carolina and Virginia. She served honourably there until she returned to Raymond in February of 1954. Soon after that she started dating Richard (Dick) Bowden who was a long-time family friend. They were married Sept. 1, 1954 in the Cardston Alberta Temple. Dick was a plumber and gas-fitter and soon found employment in Cardston. That union was blessed with four children who all were born in Cardston. Many summers were spent enjoying the natural beauty of Waterton as a family. It was there that tragedy struck one sunny, summer day in July of 1969. Dick was installing the plumbing for a motel under construction when a strong wind came in off the lake and blew the roof off of the building. It fell on the 39-year-old father and killed him instantly.
Gene was left to raise her four children alone, a daunting task for a young mother. She was determined to support her young family and soon found a fulltime job. She remained a single mother for five years until she started dating Delbert (Del) Duce. They were married in 1974. Her family of four was doubled with Del’s four children who were all gone from home. Del and Gene enjoyed each other’s company traveling to many sites in Canada and the United States. They were active in various church callings when they weren’t travelling.
Gene served in many church calling ranging from the Primary to Young Women’s, Relief Society and Sunday School. But her crowning service was in the Cardston Temple as a volunteer. She served there for close to 15 years. Del passed away in February of 2007, leaving her a widow again. She was fortunate to have her service in the temple to occupy some of her time.
Gene is survived by her four children: EvaLynn Wilson (Rex) of Molalla, Oregon; Barbara Jensen (Garth) of Stirling, Alberta; Wayne Bowden (Sandra Wetzel) of Grande Prairie, Alberta and Suzanne Simmons (Vern) of Spruce Grove, Alberta. She also is survived by Del’s children: DeWayne Duce (Fern, deceased), Connie Molcak (Bob), Sharon Quinton (Dahl) and Gary Duce (Sandra). She leaves to mourn many grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents, siblings, both husbands, a grandson Ryan Jensen and a daughter-in-law Fern Duce.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Chinook Lodge in Cardston where Gene spent the last few years of her life, the doctors and staff of Cardston Hospital and the staff of Lee Crest. There are many others to thank who took an interest in this sweet lady’s life, good neighbours and friends. She will be dearly missed by all those who knew her.
Friends may meet the family from 2:00-2:45pm on Saturday, February 6th at the Cardston Senior Centre, followed by a Private Funeral Service at 3:00 p.m. Interment in the Cardston Cemetery.
To WATCH the service Online Click here
To send condolences Click here
It’s with mixed feelings of sadness and joy that the family of Gene Duce announces her passing on Monday, Feb. 1, 2021. She is now reunited with her eternal companion Richard Odell Bowden who was killed in a construction accident in 1969.
Gene was born Dec. 27, 1927 in Cardston, Alberta to Harold Wayne Garner and Vila Kate Gedleman. She was the oldest of four children born to that union. She was named Holly because she was a Christmas baby. All of her siblings were born while the family farmed along the Belly River near Hillspring. Shortly thereafter, the family moved to Raymond because her father had secured employment with the Canadian Sugar Factory there. Most of her schooling was received in Raymond and she graduated high school there. Her summer holidays were spent babysitting, cleaning and cooking for various families. She also worked for a couple of farmers topping beets and harvesting potatoes. She was paid 10 cents a row for sacking the potatoes.
At the age of 17 she went to work for Alberta Government Telephones as an operator. That enabled her parents to get their first phone. She was employed there until June of 1952 when she was called to serve a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Central Atlantic States Mission. The mission was headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia and encompassed North Carolina and Virginia. She served honourably there until she returned to Raymond in February of 1954. Soon after that she started dating Richard (Dick) Bowden who was a long-time family friend. They were married Sept. 1, 1954 in the Cardston Alberta Temple. Dick was a plumber and gas-fitter and soon found employment in Cardston. That union was blessed with four children who all were born in Cardston. Many summers were spent enjoying the natural beauty of Waterton as a family. It was there that tragedy struck one sunny, summer day in July of 1969. Dick was installing the plumbing for a motel under construction when a strong wind came in off the lake and blew the roof off of the building. It fell on the 39-year-old father and killed him instantly.
Gene was left to raise her four children alone, a daunting task for a young mother. She was determined to support her young family and soon found a fulltime job. She remained a single mother for five years until she started dating Delbert (Del) Duce. They were married in 1974. Her family of four was doubled with Del’s four children who were all gone from home. Del and Gene enjoyed each other’s company traveling to many sites in Canada and the United States. They were active in various church callings when they weren’t travelling.
Gene served in many church calling ranging from the Primary to Young Women’s, Relief Society and Sunday School. But her crowning service was in the Cardston Temple as a volunteer. She served there for close to 15 years. Del passed away in February of 2007, leaving her a widow again. She was fortunate to have her service in the temple to occupy some of her time.
Gene is survived by her four children: EvaLynn Wilson (Rex) of Molalla, Oregon; Barbara Jensen (Garth) of Stirling, Alberta; Wayne Bowden (Sandra Wetzel) of Grande Prairie, Alberta and Suzanne Simmons (Vern) of Spruce Grove, Alberta. She also is survived by Del’s children: DeWayne Duce (Fern, deceased), Connie Molcak (Bob), Sharon Quinton (Dahl) and Gary Duce (Sandra). She leaves to mourn many grandchildren and great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her parents, siblings, both husbands, a grandson Ryan Jensen and a daughter-in-law Fern Duce.
The family wishes to thank the staff of Chinook Lodge in Cardston where Gene spent the last few years of her life, the doctors and staff of Cardston Hospital and the staff of Lee Crest. There are many others to thank who took an interest in this sweet lady’s life, good neighbours and friends. She will be dearly missed by all those who knew her.
Friends may meet the family from 2:00-2:45pm on Saturday, February 6th at the Cardston Senior Centre, followed by a Private Funeral Service at 3:00 p.m. Interment in the Cardston Cemetery.
To WATCH the service Online Click here
To send condolences Click here