Tommy Gene Gardner was born on July 31, 1937 on the family farm in Beckham County western Oklahoma near the community of Delhi. He was ushered into heaven on July 18, 2018 just a few days short of his 81st birthday. He was born late in life to John Thomas Gardner and Lillie Pearl McClinton. He had an older brother, Marshall Dee and a baby brother that died as an infant of “dust pneumonia.” After his brother had enlisted in the Navy the farmhouse was destroyed in a tornado but the family survived in the kitchen. By divine intervention, that was that the only room that survived. They built a small house in Delhi. The cellar was finished first. Tommy worked at various farm jobs and enjoyed playing baseball and basketball. Delhi was too small to field a football team or he would have played that, also.
Tom married his high-school sweetheart, Mary Ann and they soon moved to California to help an uncle who was a single father raise his pre-teen daughter. That's where I was born and Tom started his retail career. They soon moved closer to home to several towns in north Texas - Leslie was born in Wichita Falls. They moved several more times to Pennsylvania and back to Norman, Oklahoma City, Guymon and eventually OKC again where they lived for almost 50 years.
Through all these years Tom worked hard, sometimes two jobs, to provide for his family. He always found a ball team to play on. I can remember as a kid going to fastpitch softball games. He could hit the ball a long way. Later he coached many of my teams and he and I organized several softball teams. In 1998 I was home recovering from surgery to repair my Achilles and we were down to 10 players; the guys stopped Dad as he was dragging his bat through the dirt toward homeplate on a hot August night and drove him to Baptist hospital in the midst of a major heart attack. Neither of us had sense enough to know we were way past our prime. In every town he always found a place to serve, often serving the community through the Rotary Club, but always through our church family. He taught many of us as kids and young adults in Sunday School, chaperoned many mission trips and lately poured his heart and energy into a church plant that became Gateway Church. It was very important to him to help Gateway become the growing congregation it is today. He also loved well. He taught many of us to love our families, especially his children, grands, greats and all of you he adopted.
Tom is survived by his wife, Mary Ann, of 64 years; by my sister, Leslie and her husband Howard Harden; Howard's children, Marc and Kristy Harden and children Grady, Reese, and Halle; Ian and Kim Harden and children Jase, Evan, and Quinn; and Elise and Andrew McConnell and son Bryce; all of whom he counted as his own.
He is also survived by Nancy and me and our families; grandson Joel and his wife Courtney and great-grand-children Brenley and Noah; grand-daughter Angi Joy; and grandson Josh and his wife Andrea and great-grand-daughters Lauraline and Evie and a new child expected in October that he'll anxiously wait to meet someday.
He was preceded to heaven by his parents and brothers and great-granddaughter Bailey Harden.
He is also survived by an understated host of friends and adopted children and grandchildren. Your presence in his life, in his final days and especially today has been a great source of joy, comfort and support for us all. Dad fought a brave and difficult fight in the last several years and this extended family made it all worthwhile.
Papa Tom taught us to work hard; the joy of playing and competition; the value of service; and the importance of unfailing, unconditional love. Most importantly, as a patriarch of this extended family, he carried on the heritage of faith in Jesus Christ.
Dad faced his final days with great courage and dignity. He would want me to tell you that the source of his strength was the peace that comes from knowing the grace of God's forgiveness. If you don't know exactly how you will face your own death; come see me. The same God that created Papa Tom, created you. For all the amazing, powerful, awesome things that God is, He is boundless love. He created you to share that love; even knowing that we couldn't, wouldn't be good enough and planning from the beginning of time to redeem us with the life of His only, perfect Son; to fill our lives with love, joy, peace, perseverance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. All flowing from the grace of God's forgiveness.
Thank you for being here today and the next time you hear someone say "You done good. Give that kid a crocheted alligator." remember the first time you heard it and give a little Papa Tom smile out of the corner of your mouth.
VISITATION WITH FAMILY PRESENT:
Mercer-Adams Funeral Service
Friday, July 20, 2018
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
3925 North Asbury Avenue
Bethany, Oklahoma 73008
Viewing will be Friday, noon-9pm at Mercer-Adams
MEMORIAL SERVICE
Northwest Baptist Church
Saturday, July 21, 2018
1:00 PM
3030 N.W. 23rd St.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73107
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NORMAN
Gardner, Tom G., 80, retail sales, died July 18. Memorial services 1 p.m. Saturday, Northwest Baptist Church, Oklahoma City (Mercer-Adams, Bethany).
Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Friday, July 20, 2018, Page 7A.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NORMAN
Tom G. Gardner, 80, died July 18, 2018. He was born July 31, 1937 in Delhi, OK to John and Lillie Gardner. Viewing will be Friday, noon-9pm, with family present from 6-8pm at Mercer-Adams. Memorial service will be Saturday, July 21, 1:00pm at Northwest Baptist Church, OKC. To read full obituary or leave condolences, visit www.mercer-adams.com
Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Friday, July 20, 2018, Page 7A.
Tom married his high-school sweetheart, Mary Ann and they soon moved to California to help an uncle who was a single father raise his pre-teen daughter. That's where I was born and Tom started his retail career. They soon moved closer to home to several towns in north Texas - Leslie was born in Wichita Falls. They moved several more times to Pennsylvania and back to Norman, Oklahoma City, Guymon and eventually OKC again where they lived for almost 50 years.
Through all these years Tom worked hard, sometimes two jobs, to provide for his family. He always found a ball team to play on. I can remember as a kid going to fastpitch softball games. He could hit the ball a long way. Later he coached many of my teams and he and I organized several softball teams. In 1998 I was home recovering from surgery to repair my Achilles and we were down to 10 players; the guys stopped Dad as he was dragging his bat through the dirt toward homeplate on a hot August night and drove him to Baptist hospital in the midst of a major heart attack. Neither of us had sense enough to know we were way past our prime. In every town he always found a place to serve, often serving the community through the Rotary Club, but always through our church family. He taught many of us as kids and young adults in Sunday School, chaperoned many mission trips and lately poured his heart and energy into a church plant that became Gateway Church. It was very important to him to help Gateway become the growing congregation it is today. He also loved well. He taught many of us to love our families, especially his children, grands, greats and all of you he adopted.
Tom is survived by his wife, Mary Ann, of 64 years; by my sister, Leslie and her husband Howard Harden; Howard's children, Marc and Kristy Harden and children Grady, Reese, and Halle; Ian and Kim Harden and children Jase, Evan, and Quinn; and Elise and Andrew McConnell and son Bryce; all of whom he counted as his own.
He is also survived by Nancy and me and our families; grandson Joel and his wife Courtney and great-grand-children Brenley and Noah; grand-daughter Angi Joy; and grandson Josh and his wife Andrea and great-grand-daughters Lauraline and Evie and a new child expected in October that he'll anxiously wait to meet someday.
He was preceded to heaven by his parents and brothers and great-granddaughter Bailey Harden.
He is also survived by an understated host of friends and adopted children and grandchildren. Your presence in his life, in his final days and especially today has been a great source of joy, comfort and support for us all. Dad fought a brave and difficult fight in the last several years and this extended family made it all worthwhile.
Papa Tom taught us to work hard; the joy of playing and competition; the value of service; and the importance of unfailing, unconditional love. Most importantly, as a patriarch of this extended family, he carried on the heritage of faith in Jesus Christ.
Dad faced his final days with great courage and dignity. He would want me to tell you that the source of his strength was the peace that comes from knowing the grace of God's forgiveness. If you don't know exactly how you will face your own death; come see me. The same God that created Papa Tom, created you. For all the amazing, powerful, awesome things that God is, He is boundless love. He created you to share that love; even knowing that we couldn't, wouldn't be good enough and planning from the beginning of time to redeem us with the life of His only, perfect Son; to fill our lives with love, joy, peace, perseverance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. All flowing from the grace of God's forgiveness.
Thank you for being here today and the next time you hear someone say "You done good. Give that kid a crocheted alligator." remember the first time you heard it and give a little Papa Tom smile out of the corner of your mouth.
VISITATION WITH FAMILY PRESENT:
Mercer-Adams Funeral Service
Friday, July 20, 2018
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
3925 North Asbury Avenue
Bethany, Oklahoma 73008
Viewing will be Friday, noon-9pm at Mercer-Adams
MEMORIAL SERVICE
Northwest Baptist Church
Saturday, July 21, 2018
1:00 PM
3030 N.W. 23rd St.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73107
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NORMAN
Gardner, Tom G., 80, retail sales, died July 18. Memorial services 1 p.m. Saturday, Northwest Baptist Church, Oklahoma City (Mercer-Adams, Bethany).
Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Friday, July 20, 2018, Page 7A.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NORMAN
Tom G. Gardner, 80, died July 18, 2018. He was born July 31, 1937 in Delhi, OK to John and Lillie Gardner. Viewing will be Friday, noon-9pm, with family present from 6-8pm at Mercer-Adams. Memorial service will be Saturday, July 21, 1:00pm at Northwest Baptist Church, OKC. To read full obituary or leave condolences, visit www.mercer-adams.com
Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Friday, July 20, 2018, Page 7A.
Tommy Gene Gardner was born on July 31, 1937 on the family farm in Beckham County western Oklahoma near the community of Delhi. He was ushered into heaven on July 18, 2018 just a few days short of his 81st birthday. He was born late in life to John Thomas Gardner and Lillie Pearl McClinton. He had an older brother, Marshall Dee and a baby brother that died as an infant of “dust pneumonia.” After his brother had enlisted in the Navy the farmhouse was destroyed in a tornado but the family survived in the kitchen. By divine intervention, that was that the only room that survived. They built a small house in Delhi. The cellar was finished first. Tommy worked at various farm jobs and enjoyed playing baseball and basketball. Delhi was too small to field a football team or he would have played that, also.
Tom married his high-school sweetheart, Mary Ann and they soon moved to California to help an uncle who was a single father raise his pre-teen daughter. That's where I was born and Tom started his retail career. They soon moved closer to home to several towns in north Texas - Leslie was born in Wichita Falls. They moved several more times to Pennsylvania and back to Norman, Oklahoma City, Guymon and eventually OKC again where they lived for almost 50 years.
Through all these years Tom worked hard, sometimes two jobs, to provide for his family. He always found a ball team to play on. I can remember as a kid going to fastpitch softball games. He could hit the ball a long way. Later he coached many of my teams and he and I organized several softball teams. In 1998 I was home recovering from surgery to repair my Achilles and we were down to 10 players; the guys stopped Dad as he was dragging his bat through the dirt toward homeplate on a hot August night and drove him to Baptist hospital in the midst of a major heart attack. Neither of us had sense enough to know we were way past our prime. In every town he always found a place to serve, often serving the community through the Rotary Club, but always through our church family. He taught many of us as kids and young adults in Sunday School, chaperoned many mission trips and lately poured his heart and energy into a church plant that became Gateway Church. It was very important to him to help Gateway become the growing congregation it is today. He also loved well. He taught many of us to love our families, especially his children, grands, greats and all of you he adopted.
Tom is survived by his wife, Mary Ann, of 64 years; by my sister, Leslie and her husband Howard Harden; Howard's children, Marc and Kristy Harden and children Grady, Reese, and Halle; Ian and Kim Harden and children Jase, Evan, and Quinn; and Elise and Andrew McConnell and son Bryce; all of whom he counted as his own.
He is also survived by Nancy and me and our families; grandson Joel and his wife Courtney and great-grand-children Brenley and Noah; grand-daughter Angi Joy; and grandson Josh and his wife Andrea and great-grand-daughters Lauraline and Evie and a new child expected in October that he'll anxiously wait to meet someday.
He was preceded to heaven by his parents and brothers and great-granddaughter Bailey Harden.
He is also survived by an understated host of friends and adopted children and grandchildren. Your presence in his life, in his final days and especially today has been a great source of joy, comfort and support for us all. Dad fought a brave and difficult fight in the last several years and this extended family made it all worthwhile.
Papa Tom taught us to work hard; the joy of playing and competition; the value of service; and the importance of unfailing, unconditional love. Most importantly, as a patriarch of this extended family, he carried on the heritage of faith in Jesus Christ.
Dad faced his final days with great courage and dignity. He would want me to tell you that the source of his strength was the peace that comes from knowing the grace of God's forgiveness. If you don't know exactly how you will face your own death; come see me. The same God that created Papa Tom, created you. For all the amazing, powerful, awesome things that God is, He is boundless love. He created you to share that love; even knowing that we couldn't, wouldn't be good enough and planning from the beginning of time to redeem us with the life of His only, perfect Son; to fill our lives with love, joy, peace, perseverance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. All flowing from the grace of God's forgiveness.
Thank you for being here today and the next time you hear someone say "You done good. Give that kid a crocheted alligator." remember the first time you heard it and give a little Papa Tom smile out of the corner of your mouth.
VISITATION WITH FAMILY PRESENT:
Mercer-Adams Funeral Service
Friday, July 20, 2018
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
3925 North Asbury Avenue
Bethany, Oklahoma 73008
Viewing will be Friday, noon-9pm at Mercer-Adams
MEMORIAL SERVICE
Northwest Baptist Church
Saturday, July 21, 2018
1:00 PM
3030 N.W. 23rd St.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73107
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NORMAN
Gardner, Tom G., 80, retail sales, died July 18. Memorial services 1 p.m. Saturday, Northwest Baptist Church, Oklahoma City (Mercer-Adams, Bethany).
Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Friday, July 20, 2018, Page 7A.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NORMAN
Tom G. Gardner, 80, died July 18, 2018. He was born July 31, 1937 in Delhi, OK to John and Lillie Gardner. Viewing will be Friday, noon-9pm, with family present from 6-8pm at Mercer-Adams. Memorial service will be Saturday, July 21, 1:00pm at Northwest Baptist Church, OKC. To read full obituary or leave condolences, visit www.mercer-adams.com
Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Friday, July 20, 2018, Page 7A.
Tom married his high-school sweetheart, Mary Ann and they soon moved to California to help an uncle who was a single father raise his pre-teen daughter. That's where I was born and Tom started his retail career. They soon moved closer to home to several towns in north Texas - Leslie was born in Wichita Falls. They moved several more times to Pennsylvania and back to Norman, Oklahoma City, Guymon and eventually OKC again where they lived for almost 50 years.
Through all these years Tom worked hard, sometimes two jobs, to provide for his family. He always found a ball team to play on. I can remember as a kid going to fastpitch softball games. He could hit the ball a long way. Later he coached many of my teams and he and I organized several softball teams. In 1998 I was home recovering from surgery to repair my Achilles and we were down to 10 players; the guys stopped Dad as he was dragging his bat through the dirt toward homeplate on a hot August night and drove him to Baptist hospital in the midst of a major heart attack. Neither of us had sense enough to know we were way past our prime. In every town he always found a place to serve, often serving the community through the Rotary Club, but always through our church family. He taught many of us as kids and young adults in Sunday School, chaperoned many mission trips and lately poured his heart and energy into a church plant that became Gateway Church. It was very important to him to help Gateway become the growing congregation it is today. He also loved well. He taught many of us to love our families, especially his children, grands, greats and all of you he adopted.
Tom is survived by his wife, Mary Ann, of 64 years; by my sister, Leslie and her husband Howard Harden; Howard's children, Marc and Kristy Harden and children Grady, Reese, and Halle; Ian and Kim Harden and children Jase, Evan, and Quinn; and Elise and Andrew McConnell and son Bryce; all of whom he counted as his own.
He is also survived by Nancy and me and our families; grandson Joel and his wife Courtney and great-grand-children Brenley and Noah; grand-daughter Angi Joy; and grandson Josh and his wife Andrea and great-grand-daughters Lauraline and Evie and a new child expected in October that he'll anxiously wait to meet someday.
He was preceded to heaven by his parents and brothers and great-granddaughter Bailey Harden.
He is also survived by an understated host of friends and adopted children and grandchildren. Your presence in his life, in his final days and especially today has been a great source of joy, comfort and support for us all. Dad fought a brave and difficult fight in the last several years and this extended family made it all worthwhile.
Papa Tom taught us to work hard; the joy of playing and competition; the value of service; and the importance of unfailing, unconditional love. Most importantly, as a patriarch of this extended family, he carried on the heritage of faith in Jesus Christ.
Dad faced his final days with great courage and dignity. He would want me to tell you that the source of his strength was the peace that comes from knowing the grace of God's forgiveness. If you don't know exactly how you will face your own death; come see me. The same God that created Papa Tom, created you. For all the amazing, powerful, awesome things that God is, He is boundless love. He created you to share that love; even knowing that we couldn't, wouldn't be good enough and planning from the beginning of time to redeem us with the life of His only, perfect Son; to fill our lives with love, joy, peace, perseverance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. All flowing from the grace of God's forgiveness.
Thank you for being here today and the next time you hear someone say "You done good. Give that kid a crocheted alligator." remember the first time you heard it and give a little Papa Tom smile out of the corner of your mouth.
VISITATION WITH FAMILY PRESENT:
Mercer-Adams Funeral Service
Friday, July 20, 2018
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
3925 North Asbury Avenue
Bethany, Oklahoma 73008
Viewing will be Friday, noon-9pm at Mercer-Adams
MEMORIAL SERVICE
Northwest Baptist Church
Saturday, July 21, 2018
1:00 PM
3030 N.W. 23rd St.
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73107
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NORMAN
Gardner, Tom G., 80, retail sales, died July 18. Memorial services 1 p.m. Saturday, Northwest Baptist Church, Oklahoma City (Mercer-Adams, Bethany).
Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Friday, July 20, 2018, Page 7A.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
NORMAN
Tom G. Gardner, 80, died July 18, 2018. He was born July 31, 1937 in Delhi, OK to John and Lillie Gardner. Viewing will be Friday, noon-9pm, with family present from 6-8pm at Mercer-Adams. Memorial service will be Saturday, July 21, 1:00pm at Northwest Baptist Church, OKC. To read full obituary or leave condolences, visit www.mercer-adams.com
Published in The Oklahoman, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, Friday, July 20, 2018, Page 7A.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
