David enjoyed golf, motorcycles, astronomy, space, music, opera, attending live opera and musical performances, movies, reading, neatness, ice cream, and tending to his yard and pond. He was pleased to have attended three live performances of Luciano Pavarotti in his prime, as well as the Three Tenors, Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, Sarah Brightman, Celtic Thunder, Celtic Woman, and many other performers. He loved his family dearly and spent much time teasing and laughing with us. David was a smart, kind, loving, and good man.
David was the loving husband of Jean (Patz) Gardner. Their honeymoon: Adult Space Academy in Huntsville, AL. They celebrated 30 years of a strong marriage on December 30, 2019. The couple moved to Maryland, Florida, southern California, Cincinnati, Ohio, Toledo, Ohio, and Pennsylvania – all during the first 15 years of marriage.
David earned a bachelor's degree in English from the University of Minnesota. He worked in sales for Kendall Motor Oil (Witco) and sales management as Southern Regional Manager and Western Sales Manager for BASF. Following early retirement in 1999, he very happily worked in motorcycle sales in Toledo and York, PA, as store manager for Jos. A. Bank; and served as a tipstaff at the York, PA County Courthouse. He spent many pleasant hours at Memory Lane Sweets in downtown York. David’s wonderful voice and laugh were on display as a volunteer radio reader for the Cincinnati Association for the Blind. He also volunteered as an usher at the Appell Performing Arts Center and Capitol movie theater in York.
He was born to George and Merida (Harrington) Gardner in Cleveland, OH. In addition to his wife and mother he is survived by two daughters, Kelly (Paul) Chin and Kim (Steve) Hemstreet; grandchildren Saya and Nora Chin, Hailey and Savannah Davis, and Marissa Hemstreet; sister Chris (Duane) Franek; brother John (Tammy) Gardner; two brothers-in-law, Bernard Patz, Jr. (Marie) and Mark Patz; aunt Kathy Harrington; uncle Ron (Irene) Gardner; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by father George Gardner, sister Patricia McCabe; nephew Jason McCabe; mother-in-law, Jean (Ark) Patz, father-in-law Bernard Patz, Sr.; and uncle Michael Harrington.
Dave so often expressed his wish to go to space…an odd wish for someone afraid of heights. It’s a privilege to honor his wish on three flights: deep space, lunar surface, and Earth orbital.
