Anne Lenore Gardella

Anne Lenore (nee LaTour) Gardella passed on to a well-deserved place in Heaven on March 22nd 2025. While surrounded by family and loving caregivers on a beautiful spring day, she fought until the end as was her nature, but we are thankful for her spirit and that her suffering has ended.

Anne to most, “Lenore” to her husband Joe who predeceased her in 1997, she leaves behind her adoring daughter Sarah and her loyal son-in-law Chris Wisner, who together provided loving care and attention in her final years. The whole family thanks them for their efforts.

She also leaves behind four sons, in (chronological order) Joseph, David, Ted, and Ed, and their spouses Carol, Maria, Maribeth, and Robin.

Her Most Important legacy left behind to continue her strength and fighting spirit are her grandchildren, Claire and Jae, Cristina and Angela, Sara Renee, Olivia and Gus, Faye, Annie and Tyson, and her great granddaughter Francesca.

She survived the passing of her Parents Anne and Theodore, brothers Ted and Alfred Latour, who is survived by her sister-in law Joan LaTour, her sons Al and Michael, and their children Chris and Adam.

She also survived the passing of the “Matriarch” of the Gardella Famiglia Inez Willis, her dear husband Willie, and Uncle Dave Gardella. Lenore deeply cherished their surviving son Gary Cameron, along with his wife Joann, son Andy and his Anna, and their children Ryan, and twins Cami and Jake.

Anne was born in Detroit, and not only raised these five children alongside her dear Husband Joe, was instrumental in helping raise her grandchildren. Somehow, she found the energy to have a long career as a teacher who reached the hearts and minds of many students, working until she was 77 years old, in the Catholic School system with her final years at Benedictine high school and Saint Scholastica in Detroit.

Outside of Professional and Religious endeavours, this poem by Gary Cameron sums up her personal style and interests:

She loved her salon days...the hair, the nails.

She loved her bling.

She loved her wine.

She loved ANY sunglasses with flair, but especially if they matched her nails.

She lived, she loved, she gave.

And most of all, she cherished all of you.

She loved music, especially Tony Bennett and Sinatra. Her hopes for our family legacy are Harmony, along with Sinatra’s credo “The Best is Yet to Come”.

A progressive long before it became fashionable (or not), She showed tolerance and understanding in her everyday life as a great conversationalist who could handle any subject or concern. “It’s called Life, not perfect” was her credo.

The family send special thanks to the entirety of the fantastic staff at Lauren’s Greenhouse Living in Livonia, who provided great care and offered a very loving closure that helped alleviate her suffering from the awfulness of dementia that tried (and failed) to rob her dignity at the end.

In lieu of flowers, the preferred places to donate are: Joseph and Anne L. Gardella Scholarship Fund, Oakland University, School of Education & Human Resources, Pawley Hall, Room 410D, 456 Pioneer Drive, Rochester, MI 48309-4482

Alzheimer's Association Michigan Chapter Headquarters, Greater Michigan Chapter | Alzheimer’s Association

Visitation - Schrader-Howell Funeral Home, Friday, March 28, 2025, 2:00 - 8:00 pm (Eastern time)

Funeral Service - St. Edith Catholic Church, Saturday, March 29, 2025, 10:30 - 11:30 am (Eastern time)

Interment - Mt Olivet Cemetery, Saturday, March 29, 2025, Starts at 12:30 pm (Eastern time) - Section 18, lot 383, (video map on YouTube to come)