Nella Gardner Frost, 82, passed away late Monday night, Nov. 7, 2011, at Banner Heart Hospital in Mesa, Ariz. Funeral services were held Nov. 11 at the Pinetop-Lakeside Stake Center of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The concluding service and interment followed at the Lakeside Cemetery, where she was laid to rest alongside her husband.
She was born on Feb. 4, 1929, in McNary, Ariz., to the late Joseph Ivan and Sarah Isaphine (Penrod) Gardner.
Nella was a lifelong member of the LDS church. Through the years she was very involved with the Primary and Young Women organizations. She grew to appreciate and love the youth of the church, and was always willing to serve in any way she could. Later in life, together with her husband Cliff, she was called and served as a temple worker in the Mesa Temple. She loved doing her temple work and for many years she was privileged to work in the baptistery.
During her working years she was employed as a postal clerk at the Lakeside Post Office and retired after many years of dedicated service to her community.
In her earlier years she enjoyed embroidering and cooking. She could make a meal out of anything and loved any family get-to-gathers where she was able to cook for them. She very much enjoyed the holidays, and all the wonderful baking and cooking that she was able to do. She passed her love of cooking on to her family. She was an avid reader and was always looking for the next good book to read. Some of her favorite things to read were the monthly Ensign and the Church News. Later in life it became painful for her to walk, and she took enjoyment sitting and reading and watching a few of her favorite programs, including Dancing with the Stars, Jeopardy, college football, Food Network and the BYU channel. She always kept track via her Lakeside pals of the Blue Ridge football team.
In her later years she looked forward to and very much enjoyed her summers in Lakeside, were she could spend time with her daughter Pat, David and family, and her lifelong friends on the mountain.
She was a wonderful homemaker to her family and loved them all. She would always brag to anyone who would listen about her family’s accomplishments. She was a daughter, sister, wife, mother, aunt, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother and a true friend. She was dearly loved and will be truly missed by them all.
Nella was the proud matriarch of a large family. Survivors include two daughters, Patricia (David) Renner of Lakeside, Ariz., and Barbara (Dean) Shumway of Snowflake, Ariz.; four sons, Allen (Sue) Frost, Terry (Judi) Frost and Bradley Frost, all of Apache Junction, Ariz., and Dennis (Lisa) Frost of Oracle Valley, Ariz.; 2 daughters-in-law, Dora Frost of Joseph City, Ariz., and Mickey Frost of Apache Junction; two sisters, Faye (Larry) Courtois of Carmichael, Calif., and Betty (Alvie) Brown of Claypool, Ariz.; three brothers, Leland (Loyola) Gardner, Bryce (Sheryl) Gardner and John Gardner, all of Lakeside; 30 grandchildren; 72 great-grandchildren; 12 great-great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Along with her parents, Nella was preceded in death by her husband, Clifford Allen Frost; and two sons, Clifford Howell “Hoopie” Frost and Barry K. Frost.
Owens Livingston Mortuary of Show Low was in charge of the arrangements.
