Obituary of Barbara Gardey

GARDEY (ROCHE), Barbara of Saginaw, Michigan, passed away on Saturday, October 17, 2015 at her home with her husband by her side. She was 79 years old. Barbara Roche was born on February 12, 1936 in New York City, New York to the late David and Helen (Greenwood) Roche. She married Kim Gardey on June 21, 1958; he survives her. Barbara graduated from Arthur Hill High School, attended the University of Colorado, and graduated from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she participated in synchronized swimming. After graduation, she taught at Edith Bailey Elementary School in Saginaw, was employed by the U.S. Navy in the San Francisco Bay Area and later worked to help establish and build Gardey Financial Advisors in Saginaw with Kim Gardey. Barbara was a good wife, mother, mother-in-law, and grandmother. She was an avid sports fan who followed tennis, golf, college and professional football and was a life-long Detroit Tigers Fan. She lived at times in New York City, Chillicothe Ohio, Saginaw, Boulder Colorado, Ann Arbor, Boston, Berkeley California, Columbus Georgia, and Detroit before returning to Saginaw. She was a student of current history and read two or three newspapers every day. Her early summers were spent at Wequetonsing, Michigan and later at the family cottage at Burt Lake. Left to cherish her memory are her husband of 57 years, Kim; son, David (Rosemary) of Grosse Point Farms, Michigan and his children, Catherine, Elizabeth, Victoria, and George; son, Jonathan (Cheryl) of Freeland, Michigan and his children, Lucia, Alexis, Jacob and James; sister-in-law, Kay (John) Vandenburg of Springfield, Virginia and their family; and brother, David Roche of Wequetonsing, Michigan and his family. She was preceded in death by her parents and her son, Christopher Roche Gardey. A private burial has taken place at Roselawn Memorial Gardens. Arrangements have been entrusted to the Deisler Funeral Home, 2233 Hemmeter Rd. (off State). In lieu of flowers, those planning an expression of sympathy may wish to consider memorials to the Safe Kids Greater Thumb and Saginaw Area, 65 N. Ridge St., Port Sanilac, MI 48469, an organization whose purpose is to protect children from accidents by providing and testing safety equipment such as car seats and teaching good safety practices.