Submitted by: John C. Monk
Lewis
Eddy Gardner
March
8, 1961 - May 29, 2009
SOUTH BEND - Our beloved son, husband, father and keeper of the
faith, was born March 8, 1961 in South Bend, IN, the third child
of Eugene E. and Edith (LaCosse) Gardner. He was special from the
very first, inquisitive, thoughtful and sensitive to the needs of
others. He was also mischievous and a risk taker. His teenage
years were trying to say the least. Lewis grew up in South Bend
where he attended Marshall grade school and Riley High School. He
graduated high school while in the army at White Sands, New
Mexico. In February 2000, he graduated from IUSB with a degree in
Criminal Justice and was most recently employed at Madison
Center's New Passages as an addiction counselor. He cared for his
clients. It was important to him that he was able to help them on
their way to recovery. He grieved when they failed. Lewis was an
avid Cubs fan and golfer. On June 17, 1978, Lew and Beth Ann
Moffett were joined in marriage at Southlawn Methodist Church,
South Bend. Beth has been a cherish family member for almost
thirty-one years. Fourteen years ago, Lewis almost lost his life
to Non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Beth was with him night and day and we
believe, shared equally with his doctors in his recovery. Along
with Beth, he is survived by their five sons, Joseph, Andrew,
Samuel (fiancé, Nicole Nash), Benjamin and Riley; his mother,
Edith M. Gardner and brother, Chris Gardner, all of South Bend,
IN. He is also survived by Beth's parents, Nancy and Bob Moffett
of South Bend, sisters in law, Jennifer (Keith) Bruntz of South
Bend, IN and Lisa (Floyd) Sexton of Niles, MI, also brother in
law, Robert Moffett of South Bend, and a very special grandson,
Mason Sheley. He was preceded in death by his father in 2008 and
brother, Jon in 2002. There are no words to describe our sorrow.
Dear Lewis, may God keep you safe until we meet again. Funeral
services were held at 7:00 p.m. Thursday, June 4,2009 in the
Palmer Funeral Home-Guisinger Chapel, 3718 S. Michigan St., South
Bend, with Jim Ellrod of Clay Church officiating. The family
received friends from 4:00 p.m. until service time at the funeral
home. In lieu of flowers, the family request that contributions
me made to New Passages, 813 South Michigan Street, South Bend,
IN 46601.
Published in South Bend Tribune from 6/3 to 6/5/2009