Randall McCoy "Randy" Gardner

Randall "Randy" McCoy Gardner, age 66, of Gulfport, Mississippi, and formerly of Salem, Virginia, passed away Friday, November 14, 2025 at Ochsner Medical Center in New Orleans, Louisiana. He fought Ideopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF) to the very end and is now breathing freely in Heaven.
Randy was born May 25, 1959 in Radford, VA. His birth was the beginning of his habit of 'arriving in a hurry'. He was the cherished son of Willie McCoy and Peggy Miles Gardner, and the beloved younger brother of Joyce Gardner Shibley. When he was a little boy, his family moved to Hillsville, VA, where Randy attended school from K-12.
Randy was a proud 1977 graduate of Carroll County High School in Hillsville, VA. He attended Virginia Tech and earned many certifications in AutoCAD. While he was a draftsman at heart, he pursued careers in retail and construction before he found his dream job. He spent more than 20 years happily driving a train for Norfolk Southern Railroad. His job as a Locomotive Engineer moved his family from Salem, VA to Poland, Ohio, before finally settling on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi. His retirement dream was to live at the beach, and in spite of his illness, he spent the last four and a half years of his life at the water.
Randy was predeceased by his parents, his Uncle James, Auntie Bonnie, and Aunt Helen. He spent many happy celebrations with his Miles relatives, including the Miles Family Christmas Gathering each year. The family also enjoyed many years of gathering for the annual Hillsville Flea Market with nightly show-and-tell.
Randy is loved and missed by his wife, Lisa; son, Nicholas McCoy Gardner (Kiaya); and daughter, Natalie Elizabeth Gardner. He is also survived by his sister, Joyce Shibley (Gary); niece, Jaime Nichols (Michael), and their children, David and Hailey; brother-in-law, Jeremy Walkley (Jenn); nieces, Katie, Allison, Nora, and June; and nephew, William.
The water was a special place for Randy and he spent decades swimming and boating on Claytor Lake and Smith Mountain Lake. He made trips to the lake a special treat for his nieces and his nephew. There was always plenty of swimming, riding Ski-Bob, and a twilight cruise to wind down the day. Uncle Randy was a favorite and could be counted on for Harry Potter Marathons and food creations with secret ingredients. He was a quiet man who enjoyed spending time with his extended family. He had a warm smile and a gentle sense of humor.
His children will miss a dad who cheered for them in YMCA soccer, who extended bedtime so they could finish watching a movie, and who loved taking them to Myrtle Beach where they swam, built sandcastles, and played many rounds of mini-golf.
A memorial service will be held at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Salem, VA, on Monday, December 29, 2025 at 2:00 p.m. Inurnment will occur directly after the service, in the St. Paul's Columbarium. The family will receive friends in the Parish Hall following the committal. Memories and condolences may be expressed at www.AudubonFuneralHome.com