Rev. Dewey E. "Bud" Gardner

1931 - 2021

Rev. Dewey E. (Bud) Gardner, 90, entered the Presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on May 17, 2021 after a life of ministry in the Kingdom of God.

He died in Edmond, Oklahoma. Born April 3, 1931, to Leonard Preston Gardner and Aler (McMichael) Gardner in Waynesboro, Mississippi, he was one of ten children in a materially poor family. He enjoyed an early family life of hunting and fishing, and learned the value of hard work early.

Bud joined the Navy after high school and served as a gunner's mate aboard ship in the Korean War. Returning home, he married Lecta M. (Boggan) and began a family. With a degree from East Texas Baptist College in Marshall, Texas, he entered the ministry. He pastored churches in south Texas and Mississippi, while working in a plant or as a carpenter to make ends meet. To most people he was known as Brother Bud.

He moved to San Antonio, Texas in 1968 to pastor Gateway Baptist Church. He served on several committees of ministers organizing events like the Billy Graham Crusade at Alamo Stadium in 1968. He served as an associate pastor with Pastor John Hagee at The Church of Castle Hills. He founded Faith Outreach Center International in 1981, serving as Senior Pastor until his retirement. Even then he continued teaching, mentoring, counseling, and ministering to others. He authored several books and continued to write throughout retirement. His life's calling was to introduce people to the message of Christ and teach them to study the Word of God for themselves.

Brother Bud was a humble person who took great joy in helping others succeed. He loved to work with his hands, building church buildings and homes with great skill in many places. But his great love was in teaching others to pursue ever deepening relationships with God, His Word, and other members of the Body of Christ. His work affected many lives and through them will continue to impact future generations. The seed has been sown. Only the Lord of the Harvest can know the full results.

Brother Bud was preceded in death by his parents, two of his siblings and his second wife, Donna. He is survived by his wife of 24 years, Lynda, his three children, Doug (Tracy), Robert, and Annette (Randy), 2 stepdaughters (Debbie and Patty), twelve grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, seven siblings, and nieces, nephews, and cousins scattered far and wide. We celebrate his life and significant contributions to humanity. He was a great man to have as a father, is greatly loved, and will be missed for a long time. But, we will see him again.

Funeral services will be held in Lawton, Oklahoma at noon on June 1, 2021 at Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Faith Outreach Center International. For details, please see: https://www.grayfuneral.com/tributes/RevDeweyBud-Gardner. This event will be live-streamed from the funeral home link.

Lawton Ritter

Gray Funeral Home

632 SW C Ave,

Lawton, OK 73501