Gardenhire, Garland Gene

Garland Gene Gardenhire, 83, of Albuquerque passed away Sunday January 8th, after an unexpected cardiac incident early Saturday morning. Gene was born April 19, 1933, in Lakeview, TX to Garland and Beatrice Gardenhire. He was raised on the family farm and attended high school in Estelline, TX. He graduated in 1954 from West Texas State College, then served in the Army from 1954 to 1956. After teaching a few years in Dumas, TX, he moved to Albuquerque in the fall of 1961. In 1963 he received his Master of Education in Science from UNM. Gene was a longtime mathematics teacher at the Albuquerque Academy. In his 35 years at the Academy he also served as math department chair, coach, upper school principal, and director of Alumni relations. Gene also worked a few summers at Sandia National Laboratories, and taught part time in the math department at UNM. He was actively involved in the state and National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, and the national MATHCOUNTS Competition Program as a volunteer and coach where he took several teams from Albuquerque Academy to the national finals. He worked for many years with the Advanced Placement program as a teacher, coach, and grader. Upon retirement from the Academy, he volunteered over 10 years working the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta. Gene enjoyed golf (getting his first hole-in-one last year), gardening, travel, games with his grandkids, and conversation. He was known to strike up a conversation with anyone who would listen.

He is survived by wife, Susan, of Albuquerque; a brother, Charles and wife, Sue of Las Cruces, NM; five children: son, Terry and wife, Chris of Cody, WY, daughter, Gayle Claiborn and husband, Richard of Watsonville, CA, son, Alan and wife, Melissa of Rockdale, TX, son, Kyle Hahn of Dripping Springs, TX, daughter, Becca Ferguson and husband, Matt of Carrizozo, NM; 12 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Gene was preceded in death by his first wife of 23 years Wanda, and his two sisters, Billie Ruth and Erma Dean Waters.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, January 14, 2017, at 2:00 p.m. at FRENCH-Lomas with a family greeting reception following. In lieu of flowers the family asks you to please donate to the charity of your choice. Please visit our online guestbook for Gene at

www.FrenchFunerals.com

Published by Albuquerque Journal from Jan. 11 to Jan. 12, 2017.

Memories and Condolences
for Garland Gardenhire

11 Entries

Scot Evans, AA '75

February 20, 2022

Mr. Gardenhire is the reason I loved math, especially when he taught summer school to get beyond the panic of my first year at the Academy. He is one of the teachers who made a positive impact on my life and whom I think about often. Thanks Mr. G - you got me through the engineering calculations during the last month of Navy Diving Salvage Training!

February 3, 2017

Gene Gardenhire was my Calculus teacher when I was a senior at AA in the late 70s. It was because of him that Freshman Calculus was a breeze for me when I went to engineering school. He was strict but kind--will never forget him walking around with a wooden pointer which he would "tap" on an unsuspecting student's desk if they were not paying attention. Despite his hard shell he was a really fun guy and will be missed by all of us who knew him at the Academy. -- Andrew Gurbaxani '78

Britt Brooks

January 14, 2017

Gene was a wonderful teacher and administrator at the Academy. His spirit filled the halls! He will be greatly missed. His influence on my graduating class was enormous (class of 1983). I will always remember him as Gene Gene the detention machine and the best math teacher ever known.

My sincerest condolences to his family.

Kerrie Renteria

January 13, 2017

We will love and miss you to the moon and back "mean Gene" hahahaha. Susan, you and Gene are the most amazing beautiful couple we could have ever come across. Audrey and Jase are so lucky to have had Grandpa Gene in their lives.
You hang in there Susan; the family is here if you need anything.

January 13, 2017

Gene is the best tomato grower ever. I always was blessed around July with his abundance of produce

Diana sartin

Sent Flowers

Stan Mortimer

January 12, 2017

Rest in peace, Mr. Gardenhire, a great teacher but an even better person. Stan Mortimer, Academy '72

Evalee and Gary Taylor

January 12, 2017

We spent many a great time with Gene and Susan - playing Mil Bourne with a group is friends - laughing, playfully cheating and snacking. He had a great sense of humor and was always fun. One time my husband fixed a plumbing pipe in the wall and Gene said "we want to pay you". Well, my husband gave him a funny invoice of about $1.5 million. Gene said "Well .., I guess we'll have to make payments." We all laughed. We loved him dearly and pray Heavenly Father will give Susan and his family comfort and peace. We know he's in a good place.

Johnna Bolden

January 11, 2017

I will always remember Uncle Gene dancing with all the young people at the wedding reception. He could really dance. I will miss him. Sorry for your loss Aunt Susan, Terry, Alan and Gayle.

John Kirkland

January 11, 2017

Sorry to read that the world's greatest math teacher has died.
Gene Gardenhire always had an example of how to use the math he was teaching to solve a real problem. He made math useful and easy to understand.

At the Albuquerque Academy's 50th celebration I walked up right next to him to see if he recognized me.
He kept looking forward and said "I'll bet you don't remember me."
I replied "I thought I would stand next to you in case I needed some math problem solved."
We remembered each other....

John Kirkland AA'65

Judy Galloway

January 11, 2017

I just heard this sad news. Gene and Wanda were so very kind to me when I was married to Gene's nephew in the early 1970's. He is great uncle to my daughter. He (and Wanda) were good friends of my Mom's at Asbury United Methodist for many years. My condolences to all the family and friends.

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