John S. Gardner, 58, of Mackay, Idaho, passed away Sunday, July 26, 2009, at his cabin in Island Park from cardiac arrest.
He was born July 16, 1951, in Boise, Idaho. He is the son of Jack and LaVaun Gardner. He grew up in Idaho Falls and graduated from Skyline High School in 1969. He earned degrees from Ricks College, Brigham Young University and Idaho State University.
In 1974, he married Margaret Norton. They had two children and were married for 27 years. They divorced in 2001.
John met Karen Hames of Mackay, Idaho, in 2004. They shared several wonderful years together up until his passing and were engaged to be married. Karen's family loved John very much.
John worked in various occupations throughout his life. He sold automobiles and real estate. He was a manager at the Super 8 Motel. He taught business and computers at Cambridge, Shelley and Bonneville high schools. After earning a degree in computer information systems, he worked in various computer related jobs. He also worked as a substitute teacher.
John was an avid sports fan and loved football, basketball, volleyball and baseball. He served as a coach in several different sports, and he worked as a baseball umpire. He especially enjoyed coaching his son's ball teams through the years. John had many talents and abilities. He had a beautiful singing voice, played the guitar, did woodworking and built models. He was also an avid reader.
John served an LDS mission in the Kansas-Missouri Mission and served in various callings for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, such as athletic director and membership clerk. John especially loved spending time at his cabin with his family and friends. Fun times were spent snowmobiling, water and jet skiing, four-wheeling and playing games.
John was preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Jeannie Ray. He is survived by his children, Melanie (Shane) Bennett and Tim (Ebony) Gardner; his birth mother, Lorna (Wendell) Terry; his half-brothers and sisters, Dale Terry, Craig Terry, Robyn Wulle, Sandy Pett and Lori Burton; and his grandchildren, Rylee, Avery and Braxton Bennett and Jaden Gardner and Lukus Call.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Friday, July 31, at Wood Funeral Home East Side, 963 S. Ammon Road, with Bishop Richard Reynolds, of the Mackay LDS Ward, officiating. The family will visit with friends from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Thursday and from 10 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. Friday, both at Wood East Side. Burial will be at 2 p.m. in Grove City Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family online at http://www.woodfuneralhome.com/.
REMEMBRANCE
Tears fall from my eyes
as softly the memories flow,
with the tears, salty on our tongue.
I miss you so much.
Tomorrow is frightening
except for the thought
of seeing you again;
another time, another place.
I hear your voice…
in my dreams you come.
We talk and laugh
about silly, important things.
Each day without you is less;
less bright, less full, …less.
I feel your love with me,
yet, I want you to hold.
Faith in God eases the pain
for moments, sometimes days.
Still, I cry; but not for you,
for the less I feel in me.
For always taking us (and sometimes are friends too)to All the events!!!
Ryan & KarLee riding just as soon as we got there, she couldn't wait!
My dad, Linda, sister Amber and Brandy & her husband Greg and girls and then us!!!
The sisters!!! 
KarLee and mom having fun!!
Love the helmets!! This cabin was cool! 
I love the mine hill!! And being with my kids having fun!!!
All of us sisters with OUR dad!!!
Over all it was a blast!!! Later we went to the fireworks out at the 
