Eugene Lavor "Gene" Gardner
1930 - 2013
VETERAN
Our dad, grandpa, great grandpa, uncle, and friend Eugene Lavor Gardner returned to his Heavenly Father on February 10, 2013. Gene was born June 16, 1930, in Spanish Fork, Utah, to Fay Lavor and Lois Hughes Gardner. Gene and his younger siblings, Joan and Kent, were raised in Salem, Utah, on a farm, and also in Spanish Fork. His little brother, Kent, died at age seven in a farming accident.
Gene graduated from Spanish Fork High School. He had an associate degree in industrial time studies. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force, including time stationed in the Polar Outreach of Thule, Greenland, where he was commissioned to paint a mural and also designed the Thule Seals mascot patch. On June 20, 1956, Gene married Eunice LaVon Ingram in Las Vegas, Nevada. They had five children: Elaine, TeriLyn, Kelly, Kyle Eugene, and Aaron F. In 1986, Gene and LaVon divorced, but they still had a love for each other to the end.
He was a man of many skills. He worked at the rubber plant in Nephi, sold fire insurance, and managed to turn three Easter bunnies into a rabbit farm; he worked 17 years at Pacific States Cast Iron and Pipe Company in Provo, where he was known for his hard hat with eyeballs painted on it. He later retired into his hobby full-time of restoring antiques. He was well-known in the antiques community as a shrewd wheeler-dealer.
On September 16, 1988, he moved to Payson, Utah, and married (later divorced) Renate Gölz with whom he had a mutual interest in antiques. They took several trips to her native Germany together, and enjoyed searching for rarities as well as visiting castles. With Renate, and during his son Aaron's mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he found spirituality and faith; he was endowed in the Manti Utah Temple.
Gene was very artistic, and always displayed some of his floral and landscape paintings and drawings on his walls; he also won awards with them and gave them as gifts. His colored pencil drawings and paintings were a favorite gift. His drawings and paintings hang in the homes of his children and grandchildren. For his family, his oil paintings of red roses are symbolic of him.
His twilight years were spent in Payson where his rock garden was a landmark, his tomatoes fed the neighborhood, and his roadkill stew was legendary.
He is survived by his children Elaine (Todd) Losee, TeriLyn (Scott) Fuller, Kelly (Tom Martin) Gardner, Kyle (Cindy) Gardner, Aaron (Julie) Gardner; also Barbara (Jerry) Costello, and Judy Spencer, as well as 22 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren. His little sister Joan Gardner Billingsley preceded him in death a short five weeks ago; he is also preceded in death by his little brother Kent Gardner and his parents.
Services: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Location: 780 West 500 South | Payson, Utah
Interment: Spanish Fork City Cemetery
— The Daily Herald | Provo, Utah | 14 Feb 2013
Eugene Lavor "Gene" Gardner
1930 - 2013
VETERAN
Our dad, grandpa, great grandpa, uncle, and friend Eugene Lavor Gardner returned to his Heavenly Father on February 10, 2013. Gene was born June 16, 1930, in Spanish Fork, Utah, to Fay Lavor and Lois Hughes Gardner. Gene and his younger siblings, Joan and Kent, were raised in Salem, Utah, on a farm, and also in Spanish Fork. His little brother, Kent, died at age seven in a farming accident.
Gene graduated from Spanish Fork High School. He had an associate degree in industrial time studies. He was a veteran of the United States Air Force, including time stationed in the Polar Outreach of Thule, Greenland, where he was commissioned to paint a mural and also designed the Thule Seals mascot patch. On June 20, 1956, Gene married Eunice LaVon Ingram in Las Vegas, Nevada. They had five children: Elaine, TeriLyn, Kelly, Kyle Eugene, and Aaron F. In 1986, Gene and LaVon divorced, but they still had a love for each other to the end.
He was a man of many skills. He worked at the rubber plant in Nephi, sold fire insurance, and managed to turn three Easter bunnies into a rabbit farm; he worked 17 years at Pacific States Cast Iron and Pipe Company in Provo, where he was known for his hard hat with eyeballs painted on it. He later retired into his hobby full-time of restoring antiques. He was well-known in the antiques community as a shrewd wheeler-dealer.
On September 16, 1988, he moved to Payson, Utah, and married (later divorced) Renate Gölz with whom he had a mutual interest in antiques. They took several trips to her native Germany together, and enjoyed searching for rarities as well as visiting castles. With Renate, and during his son Aaron's mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, he found spirituality and faith; he was endowed in the Manti Utah Temple.
Gene was very artistic, and always displayed some of his floral and landscape paintings and drawings on his walls; he also won awards with them and gave them as gifts. His colored pencil drawings and paintings were a favorite gift. His drawings and paintings hang in the homes of his children and grandchildren. For his family, his oil paintings of red roses are symbolic of him.
His twilight years were spent in Payson where his rock garden was a landmark, his tomatoes fed the neighborhood, and his roadkill stew was legendary.
He is survived by his children Elaine (Todd) Losee, TeriLyn (Scott) Fuller, Kelly (Tom Martin) Gardner, Kyle (Cindy) Gardner, Aaron (Julie) Gardner; also Barbara (Jerry) Costello, and Judy Spencer, as well as 22 grandchildren, and 12 great grandchildren. His little sister Joan Gardner Billingsley preceded him in death a short five weeks ago; he is also preceded in death by his little brother Kent Gardner and his parents.
Services: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Location: 780 West 500 South | Payson, Utah
Interment: Spanish Fork City Cemetery
— The Daily Herald | Provo, Utah | 14 Feb 2013
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