Darrell Gardner

This article is for my Uncle Darrell. He left this life on May 31, 2010, Memorial Day. He was doing what he loved. He was farming. When cutting down a tree, with his backhoe, it fell on top of him and he died instantly. He left behind his wife Natalie, and his 3 kids: Jake 19, D'Lee 17, and Jax 14. He was only 51 years old by 5 days. He was a great dad, uncle friend, husband, coach, and person. He will be greatly missed. Later on through this tribute I will tell some memories and stories I have.

This was the sign they kept in front of their house.

I believe it is self-explanatory.

He use to teach a dance class at CEU and at Emery High School

This isn't my photo. But I guess once while he was camping with his family they made the swing. When he was doing something else he was found playing on it.

These next few photos were during the torch run for the 2002 Olympics. Yes he actually got to run with the torch.

In this photo my uncle is on the bottom row to the far right. The one holding the torch is my cousin Laura

My uncle was a cross country couch at Emery. I think the above picture is when Altamont went to a meet.

These 2 pics were taken at a meet I went to in 2009. The thing I really remember about this meet was during the 4x4. I was the second runner. My cousin D'Lee was too. D'Lee was about around the corner by the time I got the baton. All of a sudden Uncle Darrell was cheering for me. I didn't even here my couches. He told me to catch up to D'Lee and that I could do it. He kept cheering for me until I was out of ear shot. At the end of the leg I'm not sure who he was cheering for because D'Lee and I were neck and neck.

These pics were taken at my cousin D'Lee's prom. Darrell got to promenade with his daughter. The background story to that is Uncle Darrell wasn't able to attend his own prom. He got to sick and his friend had to take his date. In pics I saw they said, "Darrell finally gets to dance at his Prom."

Darrell Gardner will be missed by many. We will always remember all the things he did for us. May we never forget what an awesome man he was. May we all live our lives right so that we may be able to see him again. This is a quote from Sherrell Ward's talk. I believe this is something my uncle would say, "Pain is temporary, life is eternal," he wrote. "Shut up and live!"