William G. "Bill" Gardner

1951 - 2020

William "Bill" G. Gardner

Fond du Lac - William "Bill" Gerold Gardner, born April 13, 1951, took his last earthly breath on May 16, 2020, with his two sons and oldest granddaughter by his side, after an odds defying two year war against cancer.

Bill was a lifelong sportsman, and was always looking forward to hunting and fishing season. He bagged the biggest buck of his life a mere weeks after undergoing brain surgery in 2019. He also pre-occupied himself with oil painting, poetry, and meticulously cultivating nearly two hundred bonsai trees over the last forty years. And his lifelong train set hobby is the stuff of legend amongst all his son's friends. Bill was definitely a homebody, and didn't often share his feelings and emotions with most people, but did find his voice through his passions and his art. He was an extremely complicated human behind his simplicity.

Bill was the eldest of four children born to Joseph and Joyce Gardner. He would frequently tell stories of his childhood growing up on a farm in Fond du Lac. And would always cite the time he fell off of, and was run over by his grandfather's tractor at four years old, and didn't get a scratch on him, as the origins for his endurance and perseverance throughout the rest of his life. As a young adult he served in the army as a drill sergeant, was a Golden Gloves boxer, and rode with a motorcycle gang, all adding to his mythical status to so many, and undoubtedly adding to the fighting spirit that kept him in the game until the very end.

Proceeding Bill in death are his parents, Joseph and Joyce; his brother, James; and his wife and the mother of his two sons, Janet Kay (Wolk). Surviving him in death are his oldest son, Shane and youngest son, Shawn (Michelle); and his beloved grandchildren, Samantha and Alexis; and step-grandchildren, Tabitha and Zach. He is also survived by his sister, Kathy (Gregg) Heiman; and his brother, John; and many other family and friends too numerous to mention, but no less loved and appreciated.

There will be a private funeral service for immediate family and friends.

Guestbook and tribute wall may be found by visiting ueckerwitt.com.