Alvin Veldel Gardner

Alvin Veldel Gardner, aka Al Gardner was born on June 24, 1934 in Askenish, Hanover, Jamaica, where he grew up. He was the son of Clecia Dinham and Samuel Gardner and was the first of seven siblings. He was very close to his maternal grandmother. At age seventeen, Al was baptized at the Hanover Seventh-day Adventist Church. His aunts, Lucia, Elsie and Iva recognized his singing talent at an early age and encouraged him to sing at home, church and at community events.

While in Jamaica, he worked as a painter and gained some experience in building from his uncle. As a young adult, he traveled to England where he worked for many years as a painter, a paper hanger and did some carpentry work, before relocating to Canada. He later became a contractor of hanging, painting and cabinetry in Miami, Florida.

In Canada, he fell in love with the lovely, devoted Pansy Gordon, who was a state registered nurse and a state certified midwife. They were married in June, 1967, and from this union, one daughter, Barbara, was born.

Al was actively involved in church as an elder in East Toronto Seventh-day Adventist Church and later as the head elder at North Miami Seventh-day Adventist Church in Florida, where they moved to in August, 1977. Al was a kind, loving, caring, missionary-minded person who was a devoted church leader as an AY Leader, Assistant Sabbath School Superintendent and Personal Ministries Director at the La Belle Community Adventist Ministries in La Belle, Florida.

Al was a gifted singer and loved to make others happy with his singing. He was accompanied on piano by his wife, Pansy on most of his singing engagements while at home, at church or in the community. He was the Assistant Choir Director at North Miami Seventh-day Adventist Church and also sang in choirs in local churches in Canada and Florida. He and his wife formed a double quartet at North Miami, Florida, called “The Gospelaires”. He also recorded an album as a soloist.

He was well loved by his immediate family members, neighbors and friends. His only surviving brother Colin, made this comment about him, “He had the personality that whoever met him had no option but to fall in love with him. He also had a kind and generous personality.” His niece Andrea said, “Uncle Al liked to laugh. After anyone made a statement, he would say, “Is that right?” His niece Andrea always told him, “Uncle if everybody gives you a dollar for the way you impacted their life, you would be a rich man.” When she was young, she thought that American candy meant you were in America. So she would look forward to him and his family coming to Jamaica to visit. Whenever Uncle Al visited Jamaica, my mom would go all out and get the best fish and bammy bread. Although he had only one biological daughter, he was a father-figure to all of his nieces and nephews including his wife’s nieces. He provided funds for a now deceased nephew to attend high school in Jamaica.

He leaves to cherish his memory his wife Pansy, their daughter Barbara, his sister Valrie (Ralston), Jamaica, his brother Colin, Miramar, Florida (Ireta). and a sister Dolly. He was predeceased by both parents and his brothers Clive and Glenn. He will also be greatly missed by a host of in-laws, nephews, nieces, great nephews, great nieces, cousins, other family members, (Hazle, Ewen, Gordon, Dinham, Fernandez), friends in Jamaica, UK, Canada and US and other friends and family around the world. He will be greatly missed. We are looking forward to seeing him again soon when Christ returns.

He will be honored with a Visitation at Hodges Funeral Home at Lee Memorial Park, 12777 State Road 82, Fort Myers, FL 33913, US, on May 17, 2026, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am, followed by a Funeral Service at the same location from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm, and a Committal Service from 12:00 pm to 12:30 pm.