James Gardner

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — JAMES (Jim) GARDNER of Jacksonville, Florida (formerly of Lima and 801 Bellefontaine, Ave., Wapakoneta, Ohio) passed quietly into the night on January 8th 2017 following an extended bout with cancer. Jim is survived by his Wife (of 55 years) Mary Rae Gardner, sister Kim Marie Morris (Gardner) (Lima, Ohio), children: James Lowell Gardner (Wapakoneta, Ohio), Teresa Annette Gardner (Handley) (Clearwater, Florida), Kathleen Lynne (Huelskamp) Temple (Celina, OH), Eric Jon Gardner (Baton Rouge, Louisiana) and 17 very adored grandchildren as well as 19 great-grandchildren. Jim was preceded in death by both of his parents, Edward Elwood Gardner and Martha Jane Gardner (Burden) as well as his Brother, George Melvin Gardner, sons David Edward Gardner and Paul Gardner and daughter Margaret Annette Gardner.

Jim Gardner worked most of his life as a tool and die maker in various locations including Ford Manufacturing in Lima, Ohio and all over the world for the U.S. Navy as a Machine Repairman (MR1). He truly loved making things with his hands and was a very dedicated, proud man and a hard worker. He joined the workforce at an early age to help provide for his mother and siblings after his father died when he was only 16 years old. Nine years later, when his mother also passed tragically, he became surrogate father and provider for his brother and sister.

Jim joined the U.S. Marine Corps from 1961-1965 and served 5 years almost exclusively deployed to the Asian Theater. Over the next decade he worked predominantly as a tool and die maker. During the recession of the 1970s, he was laid off by Ford Motor Company. It wasn't until 1979 and 1980, after his sons James Lowell and David Edward joined the U.S. Navy that on a whim he took the ASVAB and blew his son's recruiter away. When they investigated the possibility of going back into the service, they discovered that he had less than 9 months to re-enlist. The rest is history. He made the cover of the Navy Times as he graduated from Bootcamp at the age of 38 in Orlando, FL in November 1981 with his sons (both out ranking him) looking on. He never looked back. Ford Motor Company eventually tried to recall him sometime in the mid-1990s (he thought that was funny). He was often "sailor of the year (Med) or quarter". He retired from honorable Military service in 1996. His awards and medals too numerous to mention.

Jim and Mary quietly retired in Jacksonville, FL. In addition to tending his beloved garden, he enjoyed both buying and selling antiques at local flea markets. Everything he bought "for a quarter is easily worth $5!" he often said. He was quite the card shark and played at and in many games and tournaments. He won over-all in the Jacksonville area on occasion but made it to the "final table" many times. We would tell the hospital staff not to play him, he would end up with their scrubs, but inevitably, they would agree to play cribbage instead. He will be sorely missed.

Please join us at one of the following potlucks for what would have been his 74th birthday Saturday August 12 to share stories and celebrate his life and accomplishments:

OLD ORANGE PARK CLUBHOUSE, 5291 COLLINS RD. JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA

309 S. Perry Street, WAPAKONETA, OH