Stafford Osmond Gardner

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our dear father, Stafford O Gardner, fondly known as "Neville." Stafford entered eternal rest on August 27, 2026. He was preceded in death by his childhood sweetheart, Leila, to whom he was married for 62 years. He had five children: Anthony "Junior" Gardner, Carl Grant, Michelle, Jannelle and Jarrett Gardner.

Stafford was born on September 3rd, 1938 in St. Catherine, Jamaica to Clovis and Ethlyn Gardner. He grew up as the 5th of 10 children in the Jonestown neighborhood of Kingston. At the age of 20, he migrated to London, England. His acquired trade was carpentry and he was skilled at making furniture. He loved to drive and upon arrival in England he became a bus driver for London Transport, where he worked for over a decade. In 1971 he migrated to the United States, and began his career as a technician in the telephone industry. He would remain in this field for almost 30 years, as an employee of New Jersey Bell, Bell Atlantic, then BellSouth and AT&T when he moved to South Florida in 1980. In 1994, Stafford and his family moved to Port St. Lucie, FL. Although he retired in 1997, Stafford's commitment to staying active led him to work part-time for the City of Port St. Lucie, where he engaged with community members and made new, meaningful friendships.

Aside from his job, he enjoyed watching boxing matches featuring his hero, Muhammad Ali. Stafford loved music, automobiles, cologne, and was always particular about his appearance. He also enjoyed old western movies, landscaping, home improvement projects, and was considered a "jack of all trades". As a hard worker, he was always punctual, honest and showed respect for himself and his community. He also took pride in his home and possessions.

Stafford is survived by his children, Anthony Gardner of Orlando, FL; Carl Grant of Essex, England; Michelle Gardner of Coral Springs FL, Jannelle Gardner of Fort Pierce, FL and Jarrett Gardner of Port St. Lucie, FL. He is also survived by his grandchildren: Cordice (Gardner) Llewellyn, Demitri (Gardner) Jean-Felix, Darren Gardner, Laura (Grant) Salmon, Rachel Grant, Andre Silvera, Kayla Gardner, Preston Richards and Marley Allen.

To mourn his loss, he leaves behind his siblings, Eldoris "Blossom" Elliott of Port St. Lucie, FL; Boyd Gardner of Miami, FL; and Norma Grannum of Valley Stream, NY. He is also survived by many nieces, nephews, in-laws and close long-time friends.

He was also predeceased by his parents, Clovis and Ethlyn Gardner and his brothers: Louis, Lloyd, Winston (aka Teddy) Trevor and Donald Gardner, along with his sister Elaine Gardner Smalling.

To honor his memory, our family would like donations to be made on his behalf to any foundation for Parkinson's disease research. He now rests with his beloved Leila for eternity.

"Dad, you were a blessing to us all. Your presence we'll miss, your memory we'll treasure, we will love you always, forgetting you never. You will live in our hearts for the rest of our lives."  

A Gathering of Family and Friends will be held at First United Methodist Church, 1500 S Kanner Hwy, Stuart, FL 34994, US, on September 19, 2026, from 11:30 am to 12:30 pm, followed by a Celebration of Life at the same location on September 19, 2026, from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm.  

A Committal Service will take place at Fernhill Memorial Gardens & Mausoleum, 1501 South Kanner Highway, Stuart, FL 34994, US, on September 19, 2026, from 1:45 pm to 2:00 pm.