Archie Lee Gardner Sr., 88, of Gnadenhutten passed away on the morning of Sunday, October 11, 2020 at Riverside Manor Nursing and Rehab Center in Newcomerstown, Ohio.
Archie was born June 6, 1932 on his grandparents’ farm near Stillwater, Ohio, the only child of the late Lee A. and Stella (Lopenski) Gardner. He was a 1950 graduate of Freeport High School. On July 12, 1952, Archie married the late Orpha Luella Huston, with whom he shared sixty-five years before her passing in 2017. Together, they were the parents of four children, three of whom survive: Arlene Jacobs of Guernsey, Archie (Rhonda) Gardner Jr. of Gnadenhutten, and Alison (Mark) Campbell of Port Washington; four grandchildren: Blake Gardner, Brant (Tiffany) Gardner, Brooke (David) LeBlanc, all of Gnadenhutten, and Dr. Brett Jacobs of Guernsey; six great-grandchildren: Asher, London, and Ryker LeBlanc, and Cruz, Crozby, and Creed Gardner, and four precious honorary grandchildren: Kimmy, Josh, Camden, and Everly.
Archie was Korean War Veteran, serving as a combat medic with the United States Army. Over the years, Archie worked at Belden Brick Co. and Culligan, before retiring from Gen. Corp following 28 years of service. For 22 years, he also served as the sexton for the Gnadenhutten-Clay Union Cemetery. Archie spent his entire life devoted to his farm, where he worked almost every day. He enjoyed watching his grandchildren and great-grandchildren growing up and loved watching them play sports. He spent many hours sitting on his front porch swings, enjoying the birds, animals, and clouds. Archie will always be remembered as “the man without a shirt”.
In addition to his parents and wife, Archie was preceded in death by a daughter, Annette Gardner, and a son-in-law Bobby Jacobs.
Calling hours will be held Friday, October 16, 2020 from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Koch Funeral Home, LLC of Gnadenhutten, 244 N. Walnut Street. Following cremation, a private burial service will be held with Rev. Tom Klaserner officiating and military honors performed by the Newcomerstown Veterans Honor Guard. Memorial contributions may be made to the Newcomerstown Veterans Honor Guard, PO Box 742, Newcomerstown, Ohio 43832. Archie’s family would like to extend their thanks and appreciation for the care given to him by the staffs at Community Hospice Truman House and Riverside Manor Nursing and Rehab Center.
To send flowers
to the family or plant a tree
in memory of Archie Lee Gardner Sr., please visit our floral store.