Ira Henry Gardner

Ira Henry Gardner, 95, recently of Country Meadows, died peacefully with family on July 11, 2011, at Kline Hospice House in Mount Airy, Maryland. Born on May 14, 1916 on Farr Street in Scranton, Pennsylvania, he was the son of Rexford Chamberlain Gardner and Hazel Amy Whitman Gardner. He was the paternal grandson of Joshua Bernard and Eva Nearhoof Gardner and maternal grandson of Leslie R. and Augusta Shifler Whitman. He was predeceased by his beloved sister, Mildred Eva Gardner Matthews.

Ira was a 1934 graduate of scientific curriculum at Central High School in Scranton, PA and was recognized by the State for perfect attendance during all 12 years of school, having never been tardy or absent. He played the trombone in the 1937 Scranton Council Boy Scout band and attended Christ Presbyterian Church in Hyde Park; having been a member of the Tuesday Club.

In 1941 he was inducted into the United States Army and on Saturday, September 12, 1942 he married Margaret Godfrey McLaughlin Dodds also of Scranton, Pennsylvania in Chicago, Illinois, while attending Coyne Electrical Institute as a Sergeant Tech. In 1945 he received an Honorable Discharge and the following service medals: American Defense Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, American Campaign Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal and the WWII Victory Medal. In 1946 they moved to Washington, DC and rented until they bought a home in Hyattsville, Maryland, living there over 30 years before retiring back to Scranton. They returned to Maryland in 2004, residing at Country Meadows Retirement Community to be close to their children and grandchildren. Ira worked 35 years for DC Transit, now Metro, first operating a streetcar from Riverdale, Maryland to Hollywood, Maryland and back. He finished his career as a bus driver and received a 20 year Safe Driver Award by Metro prior to his retirement in 1981. He had many hobbies, his favorite being electronics, stereo equipment and Wurlitzer organ music. Ira was also a member of the Sons of American Revolution and member of the Sergeant Lawrence Everhart Chapter in Frederick, Maryland who presented him with the War Service Medal in 2010.

He is survived by his loving and dedicated wife of 69 years, Margaret Godfrey Gardner; his daughter, Elizabeth Ann Gardner Deering and her husband Donald of Frederick, MD; son, Allen Leslie Gardner and wife Suzanne who live abroad; 6 grandchildren, Kirsten Lynn Asuncion and husband Dr. Joseph Asuncion of Knoxville, MD; Justin Glenn Deering of San Francisco, CA; Laura Gardner Nishikawa and her husband Tesheki of Virginia and Michael Gardner of Crofton, Maryland; 3 great-grandchildren, Dominique of Philadelphia, PA; Alexandra, United States Naval Academy and Jacqueline Asuncion; family members Joseph and Rochelle Deering Engel of North Beach, MD; sister in-laws, Mary Jenkin and Elizabeth Hamborsky, both of Scranton, PA; beloved nieces and nephews; dear friends; wonderful neighbors and loving staff at Country Meadows and Kline Hospice House.

A memorial service for family and friends will be held Saturday, July 16th, 11:30 AM at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Mausoleum chapel. Officiate will be Dr. Thomas J. Huff, Chaplain, Country Meadows. Arrangements are by Keeney and Basford Funeral Home, P.A., 106 E. Church St., Frederick. Memorial contributions can be made to Kline Hospice House, Hospice of Frederick County, P.O. Box 1799, Frederick, MD 21702.