Frederick Howard Gardner

Frederick, affectionately known to his friends and relatives as “Fritz” passed away on October 12, 2010. He was born in 1916 to Howard J. and Adah L. Gardner in Columbus, Ohio. After grade school, he graduated from Ohio State University with a degree of Bachelor of Electrical Engineering in 1938. He met his future wife, Elizabeth Rose Alexander (Libby), when she was a freshman at OSU. They were married on September 7, 1942.

Professionally, he worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, Ohio, including 3 ½ years in the U.S. Signal Corps and the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed in Alaska for 6 months in 1943 where he was in charge of setting up and running the communications center. In 1946, following WWII, he and his family moved to California where, in 1951, they settled in Long Beach. Mr. Gardner was hired by North American/Rockwell, for whom he worked for 32 years in management and as a member of the senior technical staff. He was a member of the team that developed the space capsule. During this period he worked as an independent consultant, and for McDonnell-Douglas as a contract engineer on the C-17 program for 3 ½ years. Fritz had an MTS-7 Electrical Engineering Rating.

Libby predeceased her husband, Fritz, in December, 2005. He is survived by a son, Dr. Thomas F. Gardner of Long Beach, and two daughters, Carol Christine Carr, of Roland, Oklahoma, and Julie Beth Bechtel of Visalia, California. Also by six grandchildren, Dr. Todd Gardner of the U.S. Navy; Eric Gardner of Portland, Oregon; Stephen Carr of Claremore, Oklahoma; Timothy Carr of Atlanta, Georgia; and Deborah and Bridgette Bechtel from Visalia, California; and two great grandchildren Kaelyn and Jace Gardner of Pensacola, Florida.

Memories by all of his friends and relatives whom he has influenced during his stay here on earth will be eternal. Fritz served as a member of the Gideons International since 1965.

In lieu of flowers he prefers that donations be made to the Long Beach, CA Camp of the Gideons International.

His favorite Bible verse was “I Corinthians 2:9”:

“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, and which have not entered into the heart of man, all that God hath prepared for those that love Him.”

Fritz will be missed by his family and friends. Services and burial will be held at the Westminster Memorial Park, 14801 Beach Blvd., Westminster, California on October 22, 2010 at 12 Noon.

Local Arrangements by Edwards Funeral Home

Online condolences at www.edwardsfuneralhome.com