Rodger Lloyd Gardner

Rodger Lloyd Gardner of St. Paul, MN, died Wednesday, January 19, 2011 at Cerenity Care Center in White Bear Lake, MN. He was 88. He was born in 1922 in St. Paul, MN, the son of the late Harold Gardner and the late Florence Widell Gardner. Survived by his seven children, Douglas (Madrene), David (Cathy), Brian (Kathy), Laurie (Wade) Lawrence, Susan (John) Brunner, Becky (Tim) Johnson and Bruce (Holly) Gardner; 13 grandchildren; 3 great-grandchildren; sister, Beverly Fuhrmann; nephew, Thomas Fuhrmann. Preceded by his loving wife of 62 years, Amy Alta Harrington Gardner, his brother-in-law Gordon Fuhrmann, and a niece, Janet Fuhrmann Williams. Rodger graduated from the first graduating class of Murray High School in St. Paul in 1940. He served in WWII from 1942 to 1945 and saw combat in Europe where he was wounded in battle in France. He was a recipient of the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. He graduated from the University of Minnesota in 1948 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. During his career, he was employed by the U.S. Corps of Engineers, assigned to design parts of the locks and dam at St. Anthony Falls in Minneapolis, and then as a field researcher in Fairbanks, Alaska on a permafrost research project. In the early 1950s, he began a career in computer electronics for Sperry Univac of St. Paul, and was assigned to several projects including the design, construction, and testing of computers at the Air Force Research Center in Tullahoma, TN, and projects involving the transcontinental ballistic missile guidance systems at the NASA research center in Huntsville, AL, and the earth-based control computer systems for NASA moon shots at Goddard, MD. He also lived in Destin, FL for one year while working at Eglin Air Force base. The remainder of his 35-year career at Sperry Univac was spent supervising the manufacture of all of the company's Twin Cities-built commercial computers and associated equipment. Rodger cherished each day the Lord provided, and he had many interests in addition to spending time with his family. He was an accomplished single-engine plane pilot and glider pilot and a longtime member of the AOPA. He enjoyed model railroading and was a member of the St. Paul Model Railroading Club and often helped out at their Union Depot and Bandana Square locations. He built many layouts and models for the club. In 1982, he purchased a hobby business - Scale Model Supplies in St. Paul - which is now owned and operated by his son Douglas and employs another son, Bruce. Rodger was an artist who liked to paint and draw, a musician (bass fiddle and accordion), an avid photographer, a woodworker, a hobby farm owner, and a sports enthusiast (hockey, tennis, volleyball). During his retirement years, he was a volunteer trolley conductor for the Lake Harriet trolley line in Minneapolis. Most importantly, Rodger was a born-again Christian who loved and served the Lord throughout his life. He was a member of Lake Park Baptist Church and later, Central Baptist Church, both of St. Paul, MN. Rodger and Amy were both active in their church and for several years taught English to new Hmong residents in the Twin Cities and volunteered with Second Harvest and Loaves and Fishes. Visitation will be held from 4-8PM Wednesday, January 26, 2011 at the HOLCOMB-HENRY-BOOM-PURCELL FUNERAL HOME, 515 Hwy 96 at Mackubin, Shoreview, MN. Funeral services will be held at CENTRAL BAPTIST CHURCH, 420 N. Roy at Shields, St. Paul, MN at 11AM (visitation begins at 10AM) on Thursday, January 27, 2011. Burial will follow at Roselawn Cemetery, St. Paul, MN. Thanks to Cerenity Care Center, WBL for their kind care of Rodger. Memorials preferred to Mission Aviation Fellowship.

Tributes

Rodger Lloyd Gardner

July 13, 1922 - January 19, 2011

Tributes

Rodger Lloyd Gardner

July 13, 1922 - January 19, 2011

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