Obituary: Margo Gardner

July 7, 1938 – March 12, 2021

Margaret Blackwell Gubser Gardner passed away peacefully in her home on Mountain View Drive after a long illness. The eldest daughter of the late George and Ethel Blackwell, she was born in Bethesda, MD. Her family later moved to Groton, MA, Lake Forest, IL, and eventually to the Boston area in 1953.

Margo is survived by her beloved husband, Keith Gardner, her son Charles Gubser and his wife Rosa Zerella of Basel, Switzerland, and her daughter-in-law Laura Landweber of Princeton, New Jersey, widow of Margo’s younger son Steven Gubser, who died tragically in a mountain climbing accident in 2019. She is also survived by her five grandchildren, Charles’ son Aldo Claude and his daughter Clara as well as Steve’s daughters Cecily, Heidi and Lillian. Her two sisters, Scilla Blackwell Hastings of Middletown, CA, and Carey Blackwell Bloomfield, of Cambridge, MA. survive Margo as well.

Margo graduated magna cum laude from Radcliffe College (now fully-merged with Harvard University) in 1960 with a degree in French literature. She spent a year in Paris, teaching English at a French lycée. She taught French at Milton Academy and traveled extensively. She married Nick Gubser (d. 2018) and lived in Tulsa, OK, before moving to Aspen in the early 1970s. Her marriage to Nick ended in divorce. She taught French at Aspen Country Day before embarking on her real estate career in the 1980s.

Margo loved all that Aspen had to offer. She loved to ski with her family and friends and enjoyed all the hiking trails she could find, A classically-trained pianist like her mother, Margo attended countless concerts at the music tent, having a deep, lifelong love of music. Margo volunteered for years at the Aspen Music Festival and School. She also donated her time and energy to the Aspen Thrift Shop. Both Margo and Keith was very active at Christ Episcopal Church where she met her Keith whom she married in 2004. Both Margo and Keith were frequent lay readers. They hosted countless First Sunday brunches over the years. Margo served a three-year term on the Vestry and chaired the Flower Committee. She also served on the Altar Guild for many years.

Burial will be private. There will be a celebration of Margo’s life at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Christ Episcopal Church in Aspen.