1936
Major
2013
Major David Gardner
May 31, 1936 — January 21, 2013
Major David Michael Gardner, United States Air Force (Ret.), age 76, of Carolina Circle, Walterboro, entered into rest Monday morning, January 21, 2013, at his residence while under the care of Amedysis Hospice.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted 10 o'clock Thursday morning, January 24, 2013, at Saint Anthony Roman Catholic Church, 925 Jefferies Boulevard, Walterboro, the Reverend Jeffery Kendall, Rector. The Final Commendation and Farewell will follow the funeral mass at 1 o'clock that afternoon at Beaufort National Cemetery, 1601 Boundary Street, Beaufort, South Carolina. Major Gardner will be laid to rest with full military honors provided by the United States Air Force.
Born May 31, 1936, a native of Fayetteville, North Carolina, he was the last surviving child of the late Willie W. Gardner and the late Deluke Pinkston Gardner. Upon the death of his mother when he was three months old, he was reared by his aunt, the late Bessie Mae Burton. He resided in Kansas City, Missouri, before making Walterboro his home in 1995. He served his country faithfully in the United States Air Force, enlisting in 1959 as an officer candidate. He was commissioned as a communications expert and was stationed in both CONUS and overseas, with postings including , Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Mississippi; (the then) Wiesbaden Air Base, Wiesbaden, Germany; Richards-Gebaur AFB, Kansas City, Missouri; and Scott AFB in Illinois. During 1967-1971, he served as a commander for NORAD (Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado). He was later stationed at Tempelhof Air Base in Berlin, Germany, where was instrumental in the installation of the air traffic control system for the Berlin airport. He retired as a Major in January, 1979, after a distinguished career. His military awards and distinctions included the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
Following his military career, he attended Park College, receiving a Bachelor's of Art in Business Management; he subsequently attended the Kansas City Culinary Arts School. He utilized this education in his work in the hotel management industry.
Surviving are: his wife, Mrs. Felicitas Lapham Gardner; two daughters, Lynne Carol Gardner of Saint Anthony, Iowa, and Dawn Michaelle Gardner of Eden, North Carolina.
In lieu of flowers, the family has respectfully requested that, for those that wish, memorial contributions be directed in his memory to: Saint Anthony Roman Catholic Church, Debt Reduction Fund, 925 Jefferies Boulevard, Walterboro, South Carolina 29488.
For those that so desire, memorial messages and thoughts of condolence as well as memorable recollections about Major Gardner may be shared with the family by visiting our online guest registry at: www.briceherndonfuneralhome.com.
The Mass of Christian Burial will be conducted 10 o'clock Thursday morning, January 24, 2013, at Saint Anthony Roman Catholic Church, 925 Jefferies Boulevard, Walterboro, the Reverend Jeffery Kendall, Rector. The Final Commendation and Farewell will follow the funeral mass at 1 o'clock that afternoon at Beaufort National Cemetery, 1601 Boundary Street, Beaufort, South Carolina. Major Gardner will be laid to rest with full military honors provided by the United States Air Force.
Born May 31, 1936, a native of Fayetteville, North Carolina, he was the last surviving child of the late Willie W. Gardner and the late Deluke Pinkston Gardner. Upon the death of his mother when he was three months old, he was reared by his aunt, the late Bessie Mae Burton. He resided in Kansas City, Missouri, before making Walterboro his home in 1995. He served his country faithfully in the United States Air Force, enlisting in 1959 as an officer candidate. He was commissioned as a communications expert and was stationed in both CONUS and overseas, with postings including , Keesler AFB, Biloxi, Mississippi; (the then) Wiesbaden Air Base, Wiesbaden, Germany; Richards-Gebaur AFB, Kansas City, Missouri; and Scott AFB in Illinois. During 1967-1971, he served as a commander for NORAD (Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs, Colorado). He was later stationed at Tempelhof Air Base in Berlin, Germany, where was instrumental in the installation of the air traffic control system for the Berlin airport. He retired as a Major in January, 1979, after a distinguished career. His military awards and distinctions included the Joint Service Commendation Medal, the Meritorious Service Medal, and the Air Force Commendation Medal.
Following his military career, he attended Park College, receiving a Bachelor's of Art in Business Management; he subsequently attended the Kansas City Culinary Arts School. He utilized this education in his work in the hotel management industry.
Surviving are: his wife, Mrs. Felicitas Lapham Gardner; two daughters, Lynne Carol Gardner of Saint Anthony, Iowa, and Dawn Michaelle Gardner of Eden, North Carolina.
In lieu of flowers, the family has respectfully requested that, for those that wish, memorial contributions be directed in his memory to: Saint Anthony Roman Catholic Church, Debt Reduction Fund, 925 Jefferies Boulevard, Walterboro, South Carolina 29488.
For those that so desire, memorial messages and thoughts of condolence as well as memorable recollections about Major Gardner may be shared with the family by visiting our online guest registry at: www.briceherndonfuneralhome.com.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Major David Gardner, please visit our flower store.