Rilla Arlene Hunsaker Gardner

Rilla Arlene Hunsaker Gardner joined her mom and dad Rhea C. Hess Hunsaker and, Theo P. Hunsaker and her brother Ronald T. Hunsaker on March 11, 2025.

Rilla spent her childhood days in Honeyville, Utah enjoying her beautiful mountains and riding horses with three of the best girlfriends who held an unbreakable bond. Rilla visited Deweyville, Utah where she met and fell in love with the man, she would spend the rest of her life loving.

Rilla married Ralph "Plug" Gardner on July 31, 1959 in Honeyville, Utah. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary in July of 2024. You would hear Rilla often quote the old saying: “it has been a great ride”.

They spent the next 16 years in Honeyville where they started their family roots. Together they had 4 children. Debra (Joel Ford), Dennis (Angie Gardner), Heather (Colin Boswell), Amy (Jamie Petersen).

In 1975 she moved to Blackfoot, Idaho to help Ralph run a True Value Hardware store. In 1982 they headed to Boise, Idaho where she enjoyed working within the LDS Seminary program.

In 1985 Ralph and Rilla moved to their Ogden, Utah home that would be forever known as the “3650 House” This is the home her grandchildren will always remember as “Grandma’s House” where memories were made that her family will hold a special place in their hearts.

In 1992, Rilla received the news that she would require dialysis or a transplant for a kidney disease. Days before she was to start dialysis a donor kidney became available. Her new kidney would outlast all expectations. Rilla always felt very lucky to have been given a second chance.

In 1999 she moved to Pleasant View, Utah where she would retire from Hill Air Force as a Contracting Officer in 2005. During her time in the Contracting Office, Rilla made lifelong friends and truly enjoyed the work she did.

They sold their home in Pleasant View in 2010 in order to follow their retirement dreams and become Arizona Snowbirds. They moved full time to Desert Skies, AZ where they made connections that made a second family.

Through all of the moves the most important part of Rilla’s legacy was being a grandmother. Rilla’s pride and joy came with her 14 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. Though she is no longer with us, her spirit will live on in the countless memories we hold dear. We find comfort knowing that she is now at peace, reunited with loved ones, and watching over us from above. She will be missed beyond measure, but we are grateful for the time we shared and the legacy of love she leaves behind. Rest in peace, you will always be loved and never forgotten.