William Gardner

William Andrew Gardner

William Andrew Gardner, age 90, died peacefully in his home in Albuquerque, NM on the morning of May 12, 2024.

He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Sue Moreton Gardner, and his son and daughter-in-law, Robert and Robbin Gardner. He is also survived by four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren: Taylor Gardner and his daughter Ellie, Jessica Gardner Thomas and her daughter Harley Sue, Keith Weber, and Clark Weber. Finally, he is survived by his niece and nephew, Sherre Baker and James Gardner. His daughter, Karen Gardner Stock, predeceased him.

William was born on April 20, 1934 to Anna Blenda Harlis Gardner and Harold Minthro Gardner in Vinton, IA. He was the youngest of six children. William dearly loved his sister, Gretchen E. Gardner, and they both lived in Albuquerque for the majority of their adult lives until her death at the age of 88 in 2020. He spent his childhood living in several Iowa cities: Osage, Des Moines, and Oskaloosa. He was the valedictorian of his Oskaloosa High School class as well as a member of the school's golf team. Due to health concerns his parents moved the family to Albuquerque, NM in 1951. William enrolled in UNM as a student and joined the Phi Delta Theta fraternity and continued his golfing career as a member of the UNM Golf Team. He graduated from UNM as a Business Administration major in 1955 and went directly to work for First National Bank of Albuquerque.

William worked for several firms before being hired by Sandia National Laboratories in 1958. At Sandia Labs, William met Sue Zella Moreton, and they were married on August 2, 1958. William continued to work for Sandia Labs until 1989 when he retired as a Division Supervisor in Plant Engineering where he was responsible for writing and supervising computer programs for the department.

William and Sue had two children, Karen Gardner Stock and Robert Gardner, who were born in 1960 and 1961 respectively. They attempted to visit every national park and monument in the United States. Family vacations were spent touring the US, crossing parks and monuments off their list as they went. After retiring, William and Sue expanded the scope of their wanderings to include other continents and seas.

William was well known for his ability to entertain family and friends with his quick wit and large repertoire of jokes and stories seemingly tailored to each occasion. He is fondly remembered for his love of organizing contests, events, and trips for his extended family and friends. Stories are still told of the legendary kite flying contest and the chess tournament by mail. He also loved to participate in local sports and activities. He played golf with an informal men's golf group for over 25 years until he was forced to retire due to his arthritis. He also purchased a pool table in 1995 with which he hosted family pool tournaments for almost 30 years. He loved to play pool with his grandsons Keith and Clark, and every visit included a pool contest up to several months before his death. He also greatly loved playing card games; the family gathering around the kitchen table playing cards long into the night became a tradition that has continued throughout the years and will likely continue for years to come.

In the last few years, William's enjoyment of traveling and life was curtailed by rheumatoid arthritis which made walking and movement painful for him. During his sunset years, he spent his time writing poetry and short stories, managing his investments and ensuring that his descendants would have better lives than they otherwise might. William leaves the world a better place for his having been in it. His legacy exists in the lives he touched and the fond memories that live on.

In accordance with William's wishes, there will be no public service to mark his death. There will be a private gathering of his family later. If you would like to honor William, consider making a donation to the Arthritis Foundation or the charity of your choice in his name.