Richard Reeder "Dick" Gardner's Obituary
Richard Reeder “Dick” Gardner, 87, passed away at home September 2, 2014 after a short illness. Dick was born September 21, 1926 in Columbus, Ohio to Howard and Florence Gardner. After high school he enlisted in the Navy and attended the University of Rochester in New York, earning a degree in mechanical engineering. He worked for 44 years as an engineer for Procter and Gamble at Buckeye Cellulose Corporation. He was a longtime member of the Instrument Society of America, serving as president of the Memphis Chapter in 1961-62. He was an active member of Mullins United Methodist Church where he served on various committees, sang in the choir, and frequently used his handy man skills to keep things running. Dick also took part in the Men’s Prayer Breakfast at Mullins, serving as a cook for a number of years. For many years he served as a Marshall at the St. Jude golf tournaments. His carpentry skills were useful in building a house for Habitat for Humanity. After retiring from Procter and Gamble he was a volunteer driver for the American Cancer Society, assisting patients to their medical appointments. He was always willing to help others in practical ways, and if something was broken he could most likely fix it! He enjoyed golf, bowling, reading, playing bridge, working jigsaw puzzles, and keeping busy in his workshop. Dick was a faithful husband and father who always took good care of his family. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 66 years, Gerry Schafer Gardner, daughters Beth Nicholson of Birmingham and Kris Gardner of Memphis, granddaughters Lauren Nicholson and Susan (Steve) Atchison of Birmingham, and great grandchildren Elizabeth, Luke and Will Atchison. He was preceded in death by his parents Howard and Florence Gardner, his twin brother Bill Gardner and his sister Judy (Norm) Beck, all of Ohio. A memorial service will be held at Mullins United Methodist Church, 4 North Mendenhall at Walnut Grove on Saturday September 6, 2014. Visitation is at 2 p.m. with the service to follow at 3 p.m. A graveside service will be held at 1:30 p.m., on Sunday, September 7 at Memorial Park Cemetery; family and friends invited to gather at the funeral home prior to going graveside. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to Mullins United Methodist Church or The American Cancer Society. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave. Memphis, TN 38119, “Behind the Stone Wall.”
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