Henriette Frances "Candy" Cantey Gardner

Candy was born in Kingstree, South Carolina and graduated from Lake City High School in 1950. She joined the Women’s Army Corp in July 1950, took basic training, then went to Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio for Radiology Technology training. Afterwards, she was assigned to Fort Hood and from there to the Ryuku Army Hospital in Okinawa. She met and married her husband, Robert Burke (Bob) Gardner in 1953. They were transferred to the Panama Canal Zone and Robert, Jr. was born on the Pacific side and Kristin Kelly was born on the Atlantic side of the Canal. The family was then stationed in Ft. Lewis, WA and Salem, OR for five years and then to Hawaii for five years. Bob and Candy worked in the Pentagon from 1967-1972 and were stationed back to Hawaii and made their home there until 1992. Candy worked 26 years at Tripler Army Medical Center in Hawaii and retired as the Civilian Administrator of the Department of Radiology.

Candy and Bob moved to San Antonio in June 1992, and she was active in the Mission Ridge Community, Coker United Methodist Church, the Jewish Community Center and several other groups. Candy had a real passion for playing and teaching mahjong and bridge.

Candy was preceded into death by her husband Robert B. Gardner; father, Boyd Durant Cantey; mother, Vera Driggers Cantey; sister, Lil M. Gotschall and brother-in-law, Cecil Stack.

She is survived by her son, Robert B. Gardner, Jr. (Deborah); grandson, Allen R. Gardner (Mikara); granddaughter, Carla Gardner Elliott (Andrew); great-grandson, Callum Conlon Elliott; daughter Kristin Kelly Gardner; brother, Gordon J. Cantey (Barbara) and sisters, Toni V. Stack, Joyce M. Toner (Charles) and Maxine M. Lesene (Elias); numerous nieces and nephews.

Candy’s ashes will be taken to Hawaii and will join her husband's at the Punchbowl National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.