Edward “Dick” Richard Gardner, 81, lifelong resident of Portsmouth, passed away on Thursday, March 21, 2024 in his residence. He was the son of the late William Richard and Mary Sturtevant Gardner.
He was a devoted husband, loving father, and proud granddaddy. He enjoyed soaking up the morning sun in his La-Z-Boy, while gazing at the Elizabeth River. Throughout his life, he loved boating and driving his Corvettes and Triumphs. He also had a tender heart for his many pets over the years. Not much for change, he spent nearly his entire life living in his childhood house on Duke Drive in Portsmouth. He was a faithful, quiet man who humbly served the Lord from behind the scenes in the sound room at Bethany Baptist Church for 30 years. He was retired from the Design Division (Code 252) of Norfolk Naval Shipyard. He honorably served in the Virginia Army National Guard and attended Virginia Tech (or VPI as he called it).
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Lois Silk Gardner; a daughter, Lisa W. Gardner of Portsmouth; a son, Thomas S. Gardner and wife, Lori, of Forest, Virginia; two sisters, Barbara Adams of Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, and Jeanne Coffer of Raleigh, North Carolina; a brother, William R. Gardner and wife, Alexis, of Portsmouth; three grandsons, Colin, Ethan, and Aidan; and a large extended family.
A funeral service will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 29, 2024, at Sturtevant Funeral Home, Portsmouth Blvd. Chapel, officiated by Dr. Tommy Larson. Burial will follow in Olive Branch Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Thursday March 28, 2024, from 6:30–8:00 p.m.
"My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life, and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand." (John 10:27-28)
*All obituaries are submitted by family and friends of the deceased.
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