Fred Russell Gardner

Fred Russell Gardner (Skipper) was born November 26, 1945, in Indianapolis, Indiana, in the Methodist Hospital to the late Maxine Gayle Zike and Frederick Charles Gardner. He was the eldest of four children - Brothers Gary-deceased (Barbara), Michael (Linda) and sister Debbie Gardner Anderson (Bill).

The Gardner family lived in Indiana until 1956 when they moved to St. Petersburg, Florida. His maternal Grandparents, Carl Russell & Ada Mae Mendell Zike, also moved to the area and spent a lot of time with the children. His paternal grandparents were the late Charles Edward & Ellen Wilson Wright Gardner

Fred and his siblings went to Dixie Hollins High School in St Petersburg, FL, where they all played in the band with Director Mr. Drum. His whole family enjoyed bowling and when we lived in St Petersburg, he bowled with his GP Zike, his Dad, Frederick and his son, Russell on a church league.

Fred graduated High School in 1964 and was encouraged by his pastor, Rev. Wilber P. Crowder at St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, to go to Asbury College (now University) in Wilmore, KY. He enjoyed being on the Tumbling Team, riding his unicycle, working in the audio/visual department, working sound and lighting for the Easter Pageant in Hughes Auditorium and participating in the Ministerial Association.

In 1965, he met his future wife, Mary Ellen Meier when returning from Christmas break in Florida. Mary Ellen graduated from Asbury in 1967 (Titan Class), they were married on September 1, 1967, and moved to Danville, KY, for four years. Fred graduated in 1968 (Sentinel Class) with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion. He then went to Asbury Theological Seminary for 3 years and graduated in 1971 with a Master of Divinity Degree.

Appointments in 40 years of active Ministry:

• Orlando, Goss Memorial, 1971;

• Orlando, Pine Castle, Assoc., 1972;

• Jacksonville, Arlington, Assoc., 1973;

• Tampa, Branscomb Memorial, 1974;

• Sanford, Grace, 10-15-76;

• Cross City & Old Town, 1980;

• St. Petersburg, Trinity, 1984;

• Melbourne, First, Assoc., 1990;

• Lake Worth, Calvary, 1991;

• Belleview, First, 10-1-94;

• Okeechobee, First, 2001;

• St Petersburg, St Luke's, 2003;

• Sun City Center, 2005;

• Retired, 2009

During these years he also worked as stage manager and security for the Florida Annual Conference for 17 years and made sure the Ministry for the Deaf had what they needed to be seen while they interpreted the Conference. He was one of the first persons to type closed captioning during the Conference before it was done automatically.

At four of his appointments, he started Chaplaincy programs in the local Police Departments. In Tampa, he was treasurer of the Ministerial Association that started Meals on Wheels of Tampa.

The whole family has attended Taylor County Camp Meeting in Butler, GA where Fred did the sound, video, and recorded the services and Bible Studies for over 45 years. He also worked on their website to keep it current.

After retirement, Fred traveled with GNTV team (Macon, GA) to set up and run audio/video around the country at Christian events; was the technology minister at Anona UMC, Largo, FL; worked security for the 2012 General Conference held in Tampa, FL; and in 2013 participated by driving a support van for the Equip Relay for a mission trip to Guatemala (he drove on the US leg of the trip from Atlanta to the Mexican border).

Since the 1980s Fred and Mary Ellen hosted groups to the Holy Land. Fred had gone to the Holy Land 17 times and was always eager to return. In 1993, they took their daughter, Becca, with them as her high school Senior Trip. That trip included an extension to Egypt and a cruise on the Nile River.

In 2002, Mary Ellen started working at Jabil IT department in St Petersburg, and they bought their first house in Largo having lived in parsonages throughout Fred’s ministry. They lived there for 12 years until moving to Regency Oaks in Clearwater, FL, a Continuous Care Independent Living Community, in December of 2014 where he helped with audio/visual and was chaplain to the Regency Oaks Veteran’s Association.

In 2013, Mary Ellen retired from Jabil and they were asked to provide Hospitality for Educational Opportunities (a Christian Travel Company) with whom they had traveled to the Holy Land, Greece, Jordan and Egypt. They went for 8 weeks to be the Hospitality Hosts at the Hotels used by EO in Tiberius. While there, they welcomed the EO tour groups who stayed in the hotels, helped them settle in, and assisted with any issues/needs. They were hosts for 5 years (a few months at a time) and enjoyed friendships in Jerusalem, Tiberias and Bethlehem. In 2018, they were able to travel with the group that included their son, Russell, and friends from their church and Taylor County Camp Meeting. They were able to stay with the group for 3 days while they were in Nazareth. They also had the opportunity to be EO Hosts for two cruises in the Caribbean.

While in the Holy Land in 2015, Fred had an unexplained rash, and upon returning home in June, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He had two remissions in the 9 ½ years that he fought it through chemo, stem cell transplant at Moffitt, biologic, immunotherapy, radiation and chemo again, causing injury to his heart and pancreas.

He was in Hospice in July, 2024, and suddenly, he said God told him to get up and walk, and he did! God blessed us with over 6 weeks of amazing “bonus” time with him as he went to the fitness center daily, drove and enjoyed his life. Fred and Mary Ellen celebrated their 57th Wedding anniversary and his 79th birthday during that time.

That October, he became very weak, and by December, he knew he wasn’t going to get better and looked forward to seeing His Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. At 6:00 pm on New Year’s Eve, 2024, he was completely healed and went to be with the Savior he so faithfully served. On his final evening, he passed peacefully in his own bed with Mary Ellen by his side. We’re grateful that through it all, he was never in any pain.

He was so proud of his son Russell Gardner, daughter Rebecca Groombridge (Kirk) and grandsons: Ryan Gardner (Tampa), Kaiden and Kaleb Groombridge (Chatham, Ontario, Canada) and prayed that they would follow Jesus and live for him all their lives.

He loved Jesus, treasured his family, and was always a part of whatever was going on. He was always ministering to others. Many would say that he was the most encouraging, sweetest, helpful, selfless and compassionate man they have ever known, and everyone who knew him is blessed to have called him Husband, Dad, Brother, Papa, Pastor and Friend. 143 Fred

Philippians 4:8 was one of his favorite scriptures: “Finally brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.”