Albert Neal Gardner

Albert (Al) Neal Gardner passed away peacefully on October 15, 2023, following an extended illness. Al was born on October 9, 1936, in Pueblo, Colorado to parents Agnes and Neal Gardner. As a young boy, Al and his close cousin Clare Ann (Seitz) Tischer would spend weekends at the Pueblo Zoo together with their parents. Al and Clare Ann remained close their entire life. The Gardner family moved from Pueblo to La Junta, Colorado and then to Lakin Kansas where Al finished High School. Al was active in sports and played on his high school football and basketball teams. Al graduated college in 1959 with a B.S. in Geology from Kansas University. Al remained a loyal Jayhawk and a fan of college sports his entire life. Fresh out of University, Al worked for the oil industry in Texas and Columbia S.A. While in Columbia, Al met and fell in love with his future wife Barbara Ashe. Al and Barbara were married on March 31, 1962, in Ness City Kansas. Al and Barbara raised two sons Michael Neal Gardner and Scott Thornton Gardner. Al and Barbara decided to change their careers to teaching. Al and Barbara’s teaching careers spanned over 30 years taking them to Arizona, Oregon, New Mexico, Brazil, and Geelong Australia. While teaching, Al shared his love for sports and coached high school football, basketball, and baseball. Al and Barbara made memories and lifelong friends while traveling for teaching but were especially enamored with the hospitality and good nature of the “Aussies”. In later years, Al spent time traveling to Australia and often went camping with friends Jack, Julie and Neil in the Australian Outback. Al enjoyed music (especially jazz), reading, traveling the world, and watching college sports. Al would make an occasional trip to Omaha, NE to watch the weeklong College World Series with his cousin Jim and Jackie Tischer. Al was especially fond of opening day at the College World Series as there was much excitement and enthusiasm as fans from across the country would come together to support and cheer for their respective teams. Al had a fondness for animals which began at an early age as he had an assortment of dogs, cats, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, turtles and fish. Later in life Al traveled by RV accompanied by his “furry friends”, cats named Tigger and Trouble. Al is predeceased by his parents Neal and Agnes, his wife Barbara, and his sons Scott and Michael. Al’s family is forever grateful to the caring staff at Middlefield Oaks Memory care in Cottage Grove, Oregon and Serenity Hospice of Eugene, Oregon. Al’s ashes will be interred next to his wife Barbara and sons Michael and Scott at Mount Calvary Cemetery in Klamath Falls, OR. A memorial service to celebrate Al ‘s life will be scheduled in the future.