John David Gardner

John David Gardner.  Born February 12, 1930, passed away January 26, 2022 (2 weeks before his 92nd birthday) He was 1 of 3 children of Earnest and Gretchen Gardner (Eaton County) and farmed with them until their passing. They had 3 children of their own, Stephen, Delores & Mark. Stephen is the only living heir.  John was a lifelong resident of Eaton Co. Mi. “Staunch Republican” He was married to his wife Rose E. Gardner (Dunning) for 70+ years. Rose is currently living in an assisted living community in Battle Creek, Mi.  Throughout John & Rose’s earlier years of marriage, they took in adult men from Kalamazoo intuitions to live and work on the farm. They also counseled & housed many teenage boys from troubled homes or backgrounds. Some continue to communicate with them today.  He was a lifelong farmer of dairy, beef, eggs, field crops, MM Farm equipment, etc. He was on the board of directors for McDonald dairy of Flint, Mi. for many years. He & Rose greatly anticipated the company’s annual paid trips that were held and conducted throughout large major cities across the USA. He and son Stephen developed, designed & built one of the very first self-sufficient farm operated crop drying, storage and transportation systems in Eaton Co. Many educational and farm group organizations toured the facility. He took great proud into this fledging enterprise. He was also on board of directors of Eaton Farm Bureau, elected to a term on Eaton Co. School board and served on many church groups/originations throughout his lifetime. He and Rose were especially fond of Pastor Lester DeGroot of Nashville Baptist Church.   His Honesty & Integrity was without question. I felt proud to be his son.   The only man I ever knew that didn’t ever smoke, chew, drink, cheat or swear (well only twice that I heard, swear that is). I also believe that his time on school board GREATLY soured him to the day-to-day politics & interworking of a perceived corrupted and arrogant institution.

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