Robert Michael "Mike" Gardner

Gardner, Robert Michael "Mike"
devoted husband, father, son, brother, uncle and friend to all passed away at his home in Gilbert on Sunday February 1, 2015. Mike is survived by his adoring wife Debbie; daughters Micaela, Abigail, and Felicia; his mother Bettie Nuernberg; sister Cathy Samuelson; brothers Thomas Gardner and David Nuernberg. Mike was born December 20, 1954 to Col. Robert E. Gardner and Bettie A. Henderson at St Joseph's Hospital in Phoenix, Arizona. Mike moved as a child to Minnesota, living in various cities and attending grade schools in the greater Minneapolis area. High school was in Columbia Heights - and friends there gave him the nickname LeRoy, a name from a popular Todd Rundgren song of the day not used often for him since. Upon graduation in 1972, a move to Casa Grande, Arizona, and enrollment at Central Arizona College, the first stop of what would become a storied academic career. It was at this time LeRoy got that woman, and met the love of his life: Debra Dawn Kroll. They soon married, graduated CAC and then moved north to Flagstaff and Northern Arizona University. NAU Professor of Economics Dr. Peter Trotsky once said Mike was his most diligent student - ever. Perfect scores in assignments, tests, pop quizzes, to which Mike replied: "Through prayer, God revealed all to come". Mike received his Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from NAU in 1979, moving to Dallas, Texas for employment at Texas Instruments and work on the HARM missile project. Finding himself not philosophically suited to that scope of work, a career move ensued to the nearby city of Addison, Texas with humanity better served as a fireman. Moving home, in 1985 he received his Masters in Electrical Engineering from Arizona State University; it was then Mike signed on for his 1st tour at Motorola in Phoenix. Another career segue brought Mike and Debbie to Virginia Beach, VA, where in 1994 Mike received his Masters of Business Administration and also his Masters of Divinity, and Debbie received a Masters of Theology at Regent University. Both now ordained Ministers, they began a lifelong pursuit of church planting and spreading the Gospel: a missionary trip to Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, China and Hong Kong spreading the word of God was especially gratifying. Mike and Deb then returned home again to Phoenix, with Mike beginning his 2nd tour at Motorola, and recording the first of a reported 25 patents in or around microchip design, function and/or utility. Spiritually, both of them also continued being actively engaged in church planting, always spreading the Good News. It was right about here, in 1995 their first daughter Micaela entered the picture - what a late in life blessing! Ultimately they would add two more blessings to the family, Abigail and Felicia, and together they reinvented the meaning of family. Always the creative, dreamer type, Mike at bedtime would lead the girls on regular "Fairy Baby Stories" replete with itty bitty winged fairies who lived on all sorts of honey based products and starting from inside the closet they would walk through the closet door "mirror" where they traveled to far away castles, often times enjoying the assistance of a good natured ogre. With age, those stories turned into Friday Night Family Slumber Party as the entire family snuggled at bedtime in the living room on blow up mattresses and the couches for dinner and a movie, and that in turn evolved into Saturday Night Drive In Party - you guessed it: everyone in (or on) the Suburban for a movie with KFC or Taco Bell or? As long as the family was together did it really matter? And then, there were the trips! Rocky Point, Mexico, at La Princessa, Mr. Fish Taco at Cholla Bay, "dynamiting the Hill", and of course, racing the quads and rhinos on the beach. Other trips to London, Paris, Scotland, Austria, Germany, Hungary - the family enjoyed expeditions. Mike traveled the world for his work, and shared the same sense of adventure with those he loved most. One thing the girls all recall however was certain: Mike was no linguist. Pretty much every time he tried to "blend in", maybe use an accent, it was no bueno. Stateside, it was the Disney's, Polar Express (many times), Sea World, road trips to Bisbee and Texas, hunting with Dad; other global adventures included his Mom, Sister and Brothers, to places such as Japan, Belgium, skiing in Sweden, Australia, racing the Baja 1000, cruising the Caribbean - time with family was very important to Mike. Mike ended the final seven years of his business career working to start up MicroPower Global - receiving several more patents in microchip function - this time working as a key science staff executive in a field very compatible with his philosophy on engineering for the greater good. MicroPower is a company founded in 2007 to develop groundbreaking technology in the field of energy conservation. Executives there, from CEO down explain Mike " had a big heart, was always positive, a great motivator and possessed a level of technical skill that few of us ever achieve." Mike and his work were key components in a company which may well become in his words, a game changer - and as such, Mike will leave yet another positive mark on humanity. In the end, Mike was so very unique; he was both scientist and theologian, and in that respect simultaneously representing both ends of a spectrum. And just as his intelligence was obvious to see, so also was his commitment to the Lord. In his words: "Don't be afraid to show you love God 'cause all lasting success comes from God." A celebration of his life will be held Saturday, February 21st at 4:00 pm at City of Grace Church, 655 E. University Drive, Mesa, AZ 85203. There will be a reception immediately following. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages donations to Hospice of the Valley, 2020 E. Woodside Court, Gilbert, AZ 85297 or online at www.caringbridge.org. Friends are welcome to leave thoughts and prayers on the AzCentral guest book as well as the Caring Bridge website.