Gardenia L. Wallace

Gardenia Laverne (Tampsett) Wallace, 89, of New Freedom, passed away on Sunday, May 10, 2026. Born in York, she was the daughter of the late George and Kathryn (Leese) Tampsett. She was the loving wife of 66 years to the late Lowell A. Wallace when he passed in 2021. She was a 1955 graduate of Susquehannock High School.

Gardenia worked in retail for most of her career. She was a lifelong resident of New Freedom and a member of St. John Evangelical Lutheran Church where she played the piano for Sunday School, sang in the choir and a member of Lutheran Church Women. She loved being involved in the community as a den mother for cub scouts, a Jaycette, Rose Fire Co. Ladies Auxiliary, New Freedom Centennial committee, and also the Annual Shrewsbury Flower Show committee.

Gardenia absolutely loved the outdoors; you would often find her in her many flower gardens. She also enjoyed cooking, reading and sewing for her family and made quilts for The World Relief Organization.

She was adored by her family and will be truly missed.

She is survived by her 3 children, Robin Smeltzer and her husband Kent, Kathy Wallace and her husband Ken Greer, and Lowell A. Wallace, Jr. and his wife Yolanda; 5 grandchildren; 9 great grandchildren; 2 great-great grandchildren; her brother, William Tampsett; several nieces and a nephew; and her loving cat, Shirley. She was preceded by her husband, Lowell A. Wallace; and 3 siblings, Elva Olewiler, George Tampsett, Jr., and Elaine Taylor.

Family and friends are invited to a time of visitation on Wednesday, May 20, 2026 from 5-6pm at Hartenstein Funeral & Cremation Care, Inc., 24 N. Second St., New Freedom, PA 17349. A Celebration of Life will begin at 6pm at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, please send donation to the SPCA at https://ycspca.org/ or by mail to 3159 Susquehanna Trail N. York, PA 17406 OR the American Cancer Society at https://American Cancer Society/ or by mail to P.O. Box 6704, Hagerstown, MD 21741.