William G. Gardner

William “Bill” Gerold Gardner,
born April 13, 1951, took his last earthly breath on May 16, 2020, with his two
sons and oldest granddaughter by his side, after an odds defying two year war
against cancer.

Bill was a lifelong sportsman, and was always looking forward to hunting and
fishing season. He bagged the biggest buck of his life a mere weeks after undergoing
brain surgery in 2019. He also pre-occupied himself with oil painting, poetry,
and meticulously cultivating nearly two hundred bonsai trees over the last
forty years. And his lifelong train set hobby is the stuff of legend amongst
all his son’s friends. Bill was definitely a homebody, and didn’t often share his
feelings and emotions with most people, but did find his voice through his
passions and his art. He was an extremely complicated human behind his
simplicity.

Bill was the eldest of four children born to Joseph and Joyce Gardner. He would
frequently tell stories of his childhood growing up on a farm in Fond du Lac.
And would always cite the time he fell off of, and was run over by his
grandfather’s tractor at four years old, and didn’t get a scratch on him, as
the origins for his endurance and perseverance throughout the rest of his life.
As a young adult he served in the army as a drill sergeant, was a Golden Gloves
boxer, and rode with a motorcycle gang, all adding to his mythical status to so
many, and undoubtedly adding to the fighting spirit that kept him in the game
until the very end.

Proceeding Bill in death are his parents, Joseph and Joyce; his brother, James;
and his wife and the mother of his two sons, Janet Kay (Wolk). Surviving him in
death are his oldest son, Shane and youngest son, Shawn (Michelle); and his
beloved grandchildren, Samantha and Alexis; and step-grandchildren, Tabitha and
Zach. He is also survived by his sister, Kathy (Gregg) Heiman; and his brother,
John; and many other family and friends too numerous to mention, but no less
loved and appreciated.

There will be a private funeral service for immediate family and friends.

Guestbook and tribute wall may
be found by visiting ueckerwitt.com.