Warren J. Gardner (Army Air Force)

Warren J. Gardner
(1910 - 2008)

ST. MARYS ,OHIO Warren J. Gardner, 97, of St. Marys, Ohio, and a Montpelier area resident most of his life died Saturday morning, January 19, 2008, in his home at the Otterbein Retirement Center, St. Marys.
Born July 5, 1910, in Bridgewater Township, Williams County, Ohio, to Maggie M. Shiley and Reuben K. Gardner, he was a 1927 graduate of Pioneer High School, attended Bowling Green Normal College for one year and was awarded a teaching certificate. He then taught in the Dean, Ainger, and North Bridgewater one-room schools of Bridgewater Township for six years before returning to college at Western Michigan College of Education in Kalamazoo, graduating in 1939.
Upon graduation, he was employed by the Department of Justice Bureau of Prisons at the Federal Corrections Institutions in Chillicothe, Ohio and Milan, Michigan.
He was married to Dorothy Gilmore and she died in 1936 as a result of an accident. On August 10, 1942, he was married to Dorothy M. (Merritt) and she preceded him in death on April 20, 1996.
In 1942 he entered the U.S. Army Air Force and after training at various bases in the United States he served with the 19th Weather Squadron in the Middle East.
After his discharge in 1945, he worked again at the Federal Corrections Institution at Milan, Michigan until December 1958, when he became the Williams County Veterans Service Officer. Upon leaving that post, he served as Montpelier Postmaster until his retirement in 1975.
In 1993 he and Dorothy relocated to the Otterbein Retirement Community.
A member of St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Montpelier, and later the Wayne Street United Methodist Church, St. Marys, he was an 86 year member of the Bridgewater Grange, and several veterans organizations Ñ a life member of Montpelier American Legion Post No. 109, life member of Montpelier Veterans of Foreign Wars Post No. 944, life member of Williams County Disabled American Veterans No. 83, and a life member of Forty and Eight Voiture of Williams County No. 849. He was a former member of the Montpelier Rotary Club.
He enjoyed gardening, nurturing a productive vegetable garden year upon year. He also enjoyed golf and fishing. After retiring from the Post Office he became an avid bicyclist peddling thousands of miles each year. As late as 2007 at age 97, he proudly proclaimed he had bicycled more than 2000 miles during the year.
Surviving are a son, John W. (Therese) Gardner of Mishawaka, Ind.; a daughter, Peggy (Scott) Vanderhide of Mesa, Ariz.; a nephew, Richard (Linda) Gardner of Montpelier; and a niece, Patricia (William J.) Myers of Camden, Mich.
Also preceding him in death was a brother, Floyd Gardner in 1983.
Visitation will be Friday from 5-8 p.m. in Wilson-Geesey Funeral Home, Montpelier, and after 10 a.m. Saturday in St. Paul's United Methodist Church, Montpelier, until time of memorial services at 11 a.m. in the church, with Reverend Bruce Tumblin officiating. Burial will be in Floral Grove Cemetery, Pioneer, Ohio, where graveside military rites will be conducted by Montpelier Veteran Organizations. Preferred memorials are to either St. PaulÕs United Methodist Church or The Dorothy and Warren Gardner Educational Scholarship Fund for students entering the teaching profession.