slideshow

GARDNER

MOUNT AIRY — John C.W. Gardner Sr. of Mount Airy, loving husband, father and grandfather, passed away on Dec. 25, 2012. He was born in 1929 in Surry County, son of the late Floyd McCoy and Lela Gardner. He was one of six children. John enrolled at Lenior-Rhyne College in 1947 and graduated in June, 1951. Immediately following his graduation, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant of the U.S. Army and assigned to Korea to serve there until the end of the Korean War. He was discharged on Oct. 22, 1953. After his discharge, John married Pansy Simmons and attended Wake Forest University School of Law, graduating in 1956. John began practicing in Mount Airy in 1956 with the late Wilson Barber. John’s brother, Carroll F. Gardner, began practicing law in 1960, when the law firm of Gardner & Gardner was established. From 1985 until his passing, John practiced law with his son, John Jr., and other valued partners and associates. John devoted his time and energy to the development of a business and general corporate practice and handled all estate and probate matters for the firm. John became town attorney for the town of Mount Airy in 1958 and his law firm continued to represent the city of Mount Airy for most of the past 50 years. John and his brother, Carroll, were also attorneys for the town of Dobson and the board of directors for the Northern Hospital of Surry County. The law firm prospered and was well-regarded in Surry County and surrounding areas. John loved the practice of law and helping the clients that sought his guidance and wisdom on regular basis. In 2005, he was inducted into the General Practice Hall of Fame by the North Carolina Bar Association. Membership is granted to attorneys in small firm practices in recognition of a lifetime of exemplary service and high ethical and professional standards and for serving as a role model for all lawyers in North Carolina. To be eligible, one must have rendered a high level of service to the legal profession and their communities. Only one other attorney from Surry County has been so honored. John was also given the highest possible rating by his peers in Martindale Hubbell legal directory for more than 50 years. Both of John’s children, Terri L. Gardner and John C. W. Gardner Jr., followed in their father’s footsteps and attended Wake Forest University School of Law. Terri practices law with the firm of Nelson Mullins Riley & Scarborough, LLP in Raleigh and John Jr. practices with Gardner and Gardner in Mount Airy. John was proud of his children’s accomplishments. In December 2003, John’s loving wife of 48 years, Pansy Simmons Gardner, was diagnosed with terminal lung cancer and died in March 2004. John found a wonderful new partner, Joy Cox, and they married in June, 2006. John enjoyed playing golf with Joy, and they traveled to Florida in the winter. John continued to practice law until his passing and never tired of the profession he dearly loved. He was an avid golfer, fisherman and Wake Forest fan his entire adult life. He was also long-time member and past president of the Mount Airy Country Club. John is survived by his wife, Joy; a son, John C.W.Gardner Jr. of Mount Airy; a daughter, Terri Lynn Gardner Monaco and her husband, Francis A. Monaco Jr., of Wilmington, Del.; granddaughters, Allison Nicole Lasley and Kristen Elizabeth Lasley; a sister, June Fulk of Ararat; a stepdaughter, Myra Barrett and her children, Beth and Tanner Barrett, of Galax, Va.; and many loving nieces, nephews, brother and sisters-in-law. In addition to his parents and first wife, John was preceded in death by four brothers, Paul Dale Gardner, Carl Roosevelt Gardner, Carroll Franklin Gardner and Floyd Gardner. The family will receive friends at Moody Funeral Home in Mount Airy on Friday from 6 to 8 p.m. Funeral services will be held at Flat Rock Baptist Church at 11 a.m. on Saturday with Dr. Jon Cawley and Steve Royster officiating. The interment will follow at Skyline Memory Gardens in Mount Airy. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Union Primitive Baptist Church, c/o Graham Mosley, 1090 Bray Ford Road, Dobson, NC 27017. Online condolences may be made to www.moodyfuneralservices.com.