Richard Allen Gardner

To View Dick's Celebration of Life CLICK HERE

Dick Gardner was born in Rifle, Colorado, the youngest of nine children born to Harry G. Gardner and Susan Veta Carter Gardner. He loved hiking, hunting (bow and arrow), fishing, and scouting (he was an Eagle Scout). He attended First Baptist Church in Durango where he heard the gospel and accepted Christ.

Following graduation from high school, he joined the Navy where he spent four good years as a weatherman. While on Guam, he became interested in Bible translation by helping an indigenous pastor translate the gospel of John.

Following the Navy he attended Houghton College in New York, graduating in 1959. Pursuing his translation interest he attended the Summer Institute of Linguistics course at the University of North Dakota. Jungle Camp was the next step. While in Mexico City sight-seeing he met Larrie and they went through Jungle Camp together. They took second year linguistics at the University of Oklahoma, were engaged at SILand married at Emmanuel Baptist Church in Mount Vernon, WA.

Dick's various assignments during his 60 years of service included Jungle Camp staff and the translation of the Highland Chinantec New Testament of Quiotepec, completing this task in 1980. This was hugely satisfying to Dick--it was his life goal, to see people drawn to God's Word in their own language and living by it. He also served on SIL staff at Norman, OK and Seattle for a number of years..

Dick attended Denver Seminary in 1980-82, graduating with a Masters in Counseling. He and Larrie led the Counseling Department of Wycliffe and SIL for 12 years; he then worked with Larrie to develop member care for missions. His last assignment was International Personnel Consultant and Trainer. He retired in 2018, but continued to consult, care for and connect with people. He especially loved his church and Bible study relationships.

As important as his life work was to Dick, of great significance was his family. Dick and Larrie have two sons, Nathan Lee and Richard Allen, Jr. Both sons are now married, Nate to Janice; they have four children: Travis Lee, married to Michelle; Amanda Lee married to Daniel Ellsworth, parents of young Jonathan. And twins, Matthew Lee and Richard Lee. Richard (Rico) married Amy and they have five--Reagan Emory; Eli Lincoln, Alden Grace, Jacob Allen, and Isaiah Nathan. Nate and family live in Tucson; Rico and family are currently working in the oil industry in South Korea, but they also have a farm in Kansas.

What was Dick really like? He was fun-loving, patient, kind, wise, handy (he could do anything), humble (we've never heard him boast), loving God with all his heart, soul, mind and strength. He was deeply committed to God's Word, and lived it out every day in his life practices. He was loved by many, and admired by all. He esteemed others and put himself last. He was thrifty, funny, competitive in games. He struggled with memorizing Scripture and poetry--and managing his computer. He finished well. His family will miss him keenly and forever. But we know he is in heaven; his back doesn't hurt anymore; he can hear well, he can hike and play and enjoy life. Most of all, he will be worshipping Jesus.

When I think of Dick, I think of Ps. 84:5-7, adapted to fit an individual: "Happy is he who is strong in the Lord, who set his mind on a pilgrimage. When he walks through the Valley of Weeping, it becomes a place of refreshing springs where pools of blessing collect the rains. He will continue to grow stronger...and will appear before God." He loved God profoundly; we miss him keenly. But we are grateful, so very grateful for this great and good man, the head of our family.

There will be a memorial service at the Vistoso Funeral Home on Innovation Drive in Oro Valley, AZ at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 18. Refreshments will be served afterward.