David Dean Gardener

He was born in Shelby, MT. His parents raised him near the Canadian border and the Sweet Grass Hills on the Gardener farm in Whitlash. He loved to wear his cowboy hat and cowboy boots. He was a Montana boy, through and through. He was a proud graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree and a Master’s Degree in Engineering from Montana State University and a Master’s Degree in Engineering from Syracuse University.

He married his beloved wife, Helen, in Broadus, MT, on October 15, 1965. He enlisted in the Marines in 1966 and served a 2 year tour in Vietnam. He was a field radio operator. He completed his Master’s Degree at Montana State University on the G.I. Bill.

He began his career with IBM in 1969 in Endicott, N.Y., where he and Helen began their family. He and the family moved to Lexington, KY in 1977. He and Helen moved to Cary in 1995, where he worked until he retired in 2008. After his retirement, he dedicated his hands, feet, and heart to volunteer work. He helped many young men become Eagle Scouts through the the Boy Scouts of America. He earned the Silver Beaver Award through his dedication to the BSA.

He was dedicated to his church, and worked on many mission trips with the G Men and spent many hours with the youth group at Genesis United Methodist Church in Cary. He was a trail blazer in Howell Woods and on the Uhwarie Trail, where he put his chainsaw and cross cut saw skills to work. He worked delivering food to shut-in neighbors through Meals on Wheels. He gave time the Senior Center at Bond Park. He served the A.A.R.P. He loved his time with the Marine Corps League.

He will forever be remembered and revered with the words, “Here comes Gardener,” because when anyone was in need of help, he was always there. He earned three Presidential Lifetime Achievement Awards, one from President Obama and two from President Trump.

A man of many talents and skills, his greatest ability was availability. True to his Montana roots, he was always an outdoorsman. He loved camping, hiking, hunting, and fishing. His family will always remember him walking up the trail just ahead of them in his hiking boots and bandanna. He found the love of God in the beauty of nature, and shared that love and beauty in all of his actions.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Harry and Velma Gardener, his children Valerie and Curt Gardener, and his siblings Clark Gardener and Shirley Bauer.

He is survived by his wife of 60 years, Helen, his daughter and son-in-law Robin and Trevor Barton, his grandsons Bakary and Zeke Barton, and nieces and nephews.

He was a man of few words and many actions. He was deeply loved and will be sorely missed.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the following organizations:

https://www.genesis-umc.org/

The church that natured his faith, fellowship, and service- Genesis UMC of Cary, NC

https://trlt.org/?form=MainDonate

Add attention Uhwaire Trail- where David volunteered as a trailblazer

https://johnstoncc-14288.page451.sites.451.io/

Howell Woods Environmental center where David volunteered