Carolyn Gardiner

Opelousas - OPELOUSAS - A private graveside service will be held for Carolyn Littell Gardiner at Bellevue Memorial Cemetery.

Carolyn Littell Gardiner, 87, passed away on Monday, April 13, 2020.

She was born on December 21, 1932 in Opelousas. She attended Mount Carmel, a Catholic School for girls in Lafayette, and graduated in 1951. After high school, she attended Southwestern Louisiana Institute, which is now named University of Louisiana at Lafayette. She graduated with a degree in education and married Lessley P. Gardiner, Jr. in 1955 and moved to Opelousas in 1958, where she raised her six children and taught kindergarten for 25 years.

She enjoyed gathering family around to share a good meal. She enjoyed her trips to the beach with family, her daily swims and nature walks. Nothing made her happier than watching her hummingbirds from her patio in the morning and tending to her plants and flowers. When she retired, she enjoyed her travel with her friends and the time she spent with them in the altar society, her rosary group and the Catholic Daughters. Her friends and family will remember her wit and sense of humor. Her Catholic faith and family, by far, were the two things that were most important to her. She loved being involved in the Catholic Daughters, Altar Society, Rosary Group (Sweetheart of Mary), UL Red Jackets and volunteered at Opelousas General Hospital.

She is survived by her sons, William "Bill" Gardiner and wife, Lisa of Lafayette, Tod Gardiner of Opelousas and Paul Gardiner and wife, Marie of Sag Harbor, New York; daughters, Lessley Williamson and husband, Paul of Lafayette, Karen Gardiner of Lafayette and Marie Lalonde and husband, Jay of Lafayette; sister, Janice Littell Howard of Lafayette; and grandchildren, Emily Williamson Flemming and husband Nick and Paul Williamson Jr., Will and Michael Gardiner, Dr. Greg Lalonde and Gabby and Justin Gardiner. She is preceded in death by her husband, Lessley P. Gardiner, Jr.; her parents, Robert Hart Littell and Camille Skolfield Littell; two sisters, Camille Littell Burch and Beryl Littell Beaullieu, and one brother, Robert Hart "Buddy” Littell. Pallbearers will be her sons, Bill Gardiner and Tod Gardiner; grandsons, Will and Michael Gardiner and sons-in-law, Paul Williamson and Jay Lalonde. Honorary pallbearers will be her son, Paul Gardiner; her grandsons, Dr. Greg Lalonde and Paul Williamson, Jr. and her grandson-in-law, Nick Flemming. Services have been entrusted to Sibille Funeral Home of Opelousas. Words of comfort may be shared with the family at www.sibillefuneralhomes.com. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Mrs. Gardiner’s honor to St. Landry Catholic Church of Opelousas, 1020 N. Main St., Opelousas, LA 70570, St. Jude's Research Children's Hospital at 501 St. Jude Pl, Memphis, TN 38105-9959, or Alzheimer's Foundation of America at 322 Eighth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10001. The family would like to thank Mom’s wonderful caregivers, Charlene and Annette, as well as Nursing Specialties/Hospice and their nurse Sharon.

Everyone is welcome to watch her graveside service live via Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/2585329318456399/.