Constance Irene Van Natta and Joseph Marion Gardner

CONSTANCE IRENE VAN NATTA, daughter of STELLA IRENE PARSONS and CONRAD C. VAN NATTA, was born February 29, 1908 in Kansas,¹⁰⁷⁴⁹ and died January 7, 1971 in Topeka, Shawnee, Kansas.¹⁰⁷⁵⁰ She is buried in Mount Hope Cemetery, Topeka, Shawnee, Kansas.⁴⁵⁶

She married JOSEPH MARION GARDNER. He was born January 31, 1895 in Macomb, McDonough, Illinois,⁸⁹²³ and died in March, 1963.⁴⁵⁶

• Descendant Reports
  • Samuel Houston Descendant Report (Ancestor of Constance I. Van Natta)

Topeka Daily Capital, February 29, 1912¹⁰⁷⁴⁹

HER FIRST BIRTHDAY

Although she if four years old, today is the first birthday anniversary for little Constance Irene Van Natta, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Con Van Natta, of 519 Horne street. Maybe you have guessed it. Constance was born on February 29, 1908, and today is the first February 29th since.

On account of the fact that she has never had a birthday celebration during her short life, Constance is greatly excited over the event and has been talking about it for weeks. Her mother plans to have a little party for her today, in celebration of the event, but there will be another and bigger "birthday" party this summer, when the weather is warm and the grass is green and Constance and her little friends can romp out of doors.

Wichita Eagle, January 8, 1971¹⁰⁷⁵⁰

Topeka Journal Columnist, Constance Gardner, Dies

TOPEKA — Mrs. Constance Van Natta Gardner, columnist for the Topeka State Journal, was found dead Thursday in her Topeka apartment.

Officials said death was due to natural causes.

Services for Mrs. Gardner, 62 will be at 11 a.m. Monday in the Penwell - Gabel Funeral Home. Burial will be in Mount Hope Cemetery.

A native of Topeka, Mrs. Gardner, whose great-great-grandfather was Sam Houston, was afflicted with polio as a child. Her illness was a prime reason the late Sen. Arthur Capper founded the Capper Foundation and Center for Crippled Children. Her father, the late Con Van Natta, was the center's first administrator.

Prior to writing her column, "Topeka Scene," for the Journal, Mrs. Gardner a graduate of Washburn University, had charge of the Sunday Women's section of the Topeka Daily Capital for 10 years.

She had authored "Topeka Scene" since 1967.

Mrs. Gardner was a past president of Topeka Chapter of Theta Sigma Phi, journalism sorority, Topeka Press Women, Kansas Newspaper Women's Association and the Minerva Club.

Her husband, Joseph Marion, died in 1963.

Survivors include a stepson, William R. Gardner, Albany, Ore.; two stepdaughters, Mrs. Lauree Brownfield, LeRoy, Kan., and Mrs. Julia Baughman, Topeka, and a brother, Fred Van Natta, Topeka.