Reed McArthur Gardner, age 83, passed away on November 27, 2020, of
complications from a recent fall. He was born October 24, 1937 in St. George, Utah, to
Elizabeth McArthur and Wayne C. Gardner. He was the fourth of five children. His
father was a sheep rancher, and Reed spent many hours out of doors with his father
and the sheep. His father died unexpectedly when Reed was 11 years old, and he
never got over the loss. Of the jobs he had in his teenage years, driving Jim Andrus’
“Mobile Market Truck” around town was the best. He sold groceries to the people who
had difficulty getting to the grocery store. He graduated from Dixie High School in
1955. While at Dixie College, he met Jackie Christensen, and their friendship
blossomed through their school years. They were married in the St. George LDS
Temple September 5, 1959.
After Reed’s graduation from Dixie College with an associate degree in pre-
engineering, Reed and Jackie moved to Salt Lake City where he enrolled at the
University of Utah. After completing his Baccalaureate Degree in electrical engineering,
he decided to remain at the “U” and pursue a Ph.D. Degree in the new field of Medical
Bio-Physics and Computing. Dr. Homer R. Warner was his mentor while he was
working on his degree. After graduation Reed joined the University of Utah faculty and
worked with Dr. Warner for the next four decades. Dr. Reed Gardner was an Emeritus
Professor and former Chair of the Dept. of Bio-medical Informatics at the University of
Utah. Reed loved his profession and his professional colleagues.
A faithful and dedicated member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,
Reed served in the Church in many capacities over the years, including the Salt Lake
Bonneville Stake High Council, Bishop of the Yalecrest 2 nd Ward, Scoutmaster, and
Branch President of the L.D.S. Services at the V.A. Hospital. Scouting and youth
outings and “Empty Nesters” activities were his favorites.
Reed’s most special place to spend time was the St. George pioneer home where he
grew up. He and Jackie bought his parents’ home, and he spent countless hours
updating and caring for the beautiful home and yard. This is where Reed and Jackie’s
family would go to visit Grandma Gardner during the children’s growing up years and
where they joined with their cousins and looked for doodle bugs in the backyard and
sailed their little Catalpa tree seed pods down the ditch out front. The family also loved
going to the Gardner Ranch on Cedar Mountain (south of Cedar City) where the entire
Gardner Family built a cabin in 1971. Years before, his father trailed 2,000 head of
sheep up Cedar Mountain each springtime to spend the summer, grazing on the ranch.
It was a wonderful place to spend time as a family, to sleep in the cabin, roam the large
ranch looking for horned toads and mud dogs, carve our names in the aspen trees,
and sit around a campfire at night eating roasted marshmallows.
Reed was friendly and outgoing. He loved people and was larger than life! He loved his
neighbors and looked for opportunities to give service wherever he was. Reed could
frequently be observed walking through the Yalecrest 2 nd Ward neighborhood, his face
with an ever-present smile, carrying a Home Depot bucket full of tools, sprinkler parts,
and his knee pads. He was a handyman at large. He was able to fix about anything
and was happiest when he and his tools were at work. He loved setting off “2-liter
bottle rockets” with the children in the neighborhood and the Cub Scouts and teaching
and playing with his grandchildren.
Reed and Jackie recently celebrated 61 years of marriage. Jackie survives him as do
all his children and grandchildren. Reed and Jackie are the parents of five children:
Shelly (Brad) Bowen, Barry Gardner, Scott (Bella) Gardner and Allison (Scott) Young,
all of Salt Lake City, and David (Stephanie) Gardner of Monterey, CA. They have 16
grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his parents, two siblings and their spouses: Robert and
Geniel Gardner, Mary Ada and Earl Grossen, and brother-in-law Kenneth Liechty. He
is survived by two sisters and a brother-in-law, Elizabeth Liechty and Katherine and
Ralph Staheli of St. George.
A funeral will be held in the Yalecrest Chapel, 1035 South 1800 East, for family
members only, on Saturday, December 5, 2020 at 12:00 noon. We invite others to join
the Zoom link https://zoom.us/j/92828157382 to view the services virtually (you may
need to enter your name and email). Interment will follow at Larkin Sunset Lawn, 2350
East 1300 South, Salt Lake City.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Reed’s honor may be made to the “Wayne and Bessie
Gardner Scholarship Fund”, Dixie State University, 224 South 700 East, St. George,
UT 84770.
Jackie -- I am extremely saddened to hear of Reed's passing. R.J. loved being friends with Reed throughout their growing up years ! For as long as I can remember, each October R.J. commented about the two of them being born only a week apart. Maybe he and R.J. can meet somewhere along 'heaven's highway' as it has now been 14 years since R.J. arrived there. I'm certain it will be a great get-together. Both of them were remarkably talented products of that unique era in St. George history. Their Gardner blood and red sand ran deep in their souls! Can't help but think how special for Reed to finally be with his father again. Reed contributed so much to the "U" and the community. He will leave a great void. Sending my love and empathy at your tremendous loss at this time. Marilyn M. Snow
Dear Jackie and family,
My heart was broken to hear about our Bishop Gardner. He had such a great influence on our family. He called my parents on a mission, helped me prepare for a mission, my marriage and much more. Reed and Jackie will always be a treasure to our family. God bless you during this time.
Paul Cannon
Neighbor/Scouter/Bishop Reed Gardner... Your engaging smile, gentle manner and kind heart continue to influence me decades later. Thanks for the fond scouting memories of camps, the jamboree and more. And thanks for your guidance as Bishop as I prepared to serve my mission and then upon my return. Your quiet example as a family man, a caring neighbor while being a solid professional carry on. Your warmth and interest continued on in my adult years with your embrace and care for Staci and our sons. You will be missed.
Jackie and family, I'm so sorry to hear of Reed's passing. He was a great mentor and example to me. I came to the program not knowing much of anything, and he treated me like an "insider" -- talking to me about things as if I understood what he was talking about (although often I didn't). He had an infectious enthusiasm for everything, from informatics to teaching his students to that burger place on State Street. (I can't remember its name now!) He was a giant in the field, but just as important if not more so, he always made me and everyone around him feel important and valued. We'll miss him. Our condolences.
Tom Oniki
Dear Jackie,
I’m so sorry to hear about Reed. My memories of him always include that ever-present smile and a spirit of joy about him. How wonderful you shared 61+ years together and even more wonderful that you’ll be spending eternity together! My thoughts are with you and your family at this time. I’m so grateful I’ll be able to watch the services on Zoom and wish I could be there in person. Sending love to you and your family.
Jeannette Stucki
Our heartfelt condolences go out to the Jackie and the Gardner family. We had the privilege of living across the street from the for 6 years. They were quite literally the best neighbors we've ever had.
Reed helped with almost every home improvement project we ever did, including when we redid our entire yard.
He spent time with our kids, and built toys for them in his shop. Jackie brought meals when our kids were born and tended for us on occasion. He and Jackie were always there when we needed them.
After we moved to St. George, they even visited us a few times in our new home, and we also got to spend some time with them at their beautiful and historic Pioneer home in St. George.
Reed is one of the good guys and will be missed. Much love to Jackie and the family.
The Strongs
I had the pleasure of being Reeds barber for several years. He spoke often of the house in St. George, hie wife, children and his neighbors. He was always busy doing good. Since retiring as a barber I have often thought of the great conversations we enjoyed together. He was a man of faith with sincere beliefs in the great blessings that await the faithful. May his memory be a blessing to his family and friends.
Dear Jackie, Since we moved from the Bonneville Stake a few years ago, we haven't had much opportunity to see and visit with you and Reed; however, I have many fond memories of seeing and visiting with Reed, and with you, in the past. My being from Panguitch and Joy and I having served in the St. George Temple, gave us a lot about which to speak. I have always admired Reed for his successes and his engaging personality, and was distraught when I saw his obituary in the newspaper. Joy and I mourn with you his passing, but are delighted, as I am sure you are, at the knowledge that you will rejoin him at some future date and that you will have an eternal family.
How sad to lose this man. He lived a good life. He was a wonderful bishop. The last time I saw Bishop Gardner was my father's funeral. Bishop Gardner was heart-broken. That has stayed with me. Rest in peace.
We will greatly miss our wonderful neighbor, Reed. We often saw him in a neighbors yard fixing sprinklers or walking around with his tools on his way to help another neighbor. My kids have very fond memories of his soda bottle rockets. We were privileged to have known Reed and to have been a recipient off his kindness.
Much Love,
The Greene Family
Jackie and Family,
We were very sorry to see Reed’s obituary yesterday. Unfortunately, falls are too traumatic for elderly people. I had the good fortune to have had the pleasure of working with Reed for many years both at the LDS Hospital and at the University of Utah. He always had a smile on his face and will be missed by all who knew him. Our deepest sympathy to you all for the loss of such a wonderful person.
Uncle Reed was a bright light that went out sooner than any of us would have preferred. My Dad, Robert, and his brother Reed passed away 9 years apart at the same age of 83. Uncle Reed, we will miss your enthusiasm and big smile, but we know you are in a better place, and have left a great legacy by virtue of your wonderful family and your example of Service. -Wayne Gardner-
Jackie: What a surprise to read about Reed’s passing. I’m sure he won’t be idle on the other side, but be assured he’ll never be far from you. Reed was a good friend and an important mentor to me . He was largely responsible for making iit possible for me to compete the requirements for graduation from the Medical Biophysics and Computing department. He was always positive and encouraging. He was available for counseling and guidance, and was never too busy to help or advise. He was patient and tolerant but expected our best effort. He was a great example of a technological pioneer. I owe much to his friendship and guidance. May you be comforted by fond memories close family as you go forward.
Gary
Reed was an extraordinary example of a practicing Christian for as long as I knew him. I so much enjoyed working with him and Rich Ferre in the Sunday School Presidency of the Yalecrest Second Ward. He became a good friend through this association. I marveled at his outreach to members of the ward, especially the widows whom he looked after and kept track of regularly. He was as good natured and friendly as anyone I have known. The world has lost a marvelous soul who will make a very natural transition into the Kingdom of God. Indeed to a very remarkable degree, The Kingdom was already within him when he lived among us. I was blessed to have known and walked with him for a season of our lives.
John W. Bennion
My prayers are with you at this time of loss. I know your love of the Savior and of family will be a great strength to you as you move forward without Reed.
I worked at the LDS Hospital for Dr. Gardner from the fall of 1973 to the fall of 1977 developing software to automate and analyze data from the pulmonary lab, intensive care units, emergency room, and surgery rooms. He was a great mentor as he gave me challenging projects to work on, involved me in his work retreats, and supported me in my graduate work in computer science.
He was also a friend discussing our feelings of the gospel, inviting me to lunch often and inviting me once with my wife Shirley to his home for dinner. That evening, we enjoyed a wonderful meal and good discussion. This must have been on an April 15 because after a good visit, he mentioned he had not yet completed his taxes and the deadline was hours away, so he needed to cut short our time together. We thanked Jackie and him for the meal and wished him well on his taxes. This was an example to me of how he valued friendship over his personal needs.
My parents owned a condominium in St George, and one time I mentioned to Reed that I was going to his old stomping grounds. He encouraged me to stop by his mother to meet her, so Shirley and I did. We were impressed by her welcome as we knocked unannounced at her door and visited with her. She spoke about her life and showed off her pioneer home with the thick walls to keep her cool in the summer.
After I graduated in 1977, I moved to the north Denver area to work at Bell Telephone Laboratories. As I exchanged stories of graduate studies and jobs with my new work peers, I gained a greater appreciation of the extraordinarily rich experiences I had enjoyed working at the LDS Hospital. For several years, when I returned to Utah to visit family, I made a special effort to return to the LDS Hospital to visit Reed and others I had worked with there and was always amazed at the innovated projects they were working on.
As my work, church, and family responsibilities grew, I lost track of Reed for a while. Then, as my parents, Dick and Ruth Scoville were serving on a mission to the VA hospital, I went to church with them and discovered Reed Gardner was serving a mission there as well. It was wonderful to catch up with him at that time. I last spoke to him at my mother's funeral in 2003 as he offered his condolences.
He is a brilliant, warm, wonderful man, and I feel blessed that he has been part of my life.
Jackie and family,
My deepest condolences. I have had a tender day virtually joining you for the funeral and watching the video of Reed. Reed was my first boss, and I fondly remember the time I spent with him on the 7th floor of the hospital, as well as brief interactions in your home. My wife reminded me this morning that in addition to his other wonderful qualities, he introduced her to the fine cuisine that downtown Salt Lake had to offer - Snappy's. I always wished I could have joined one of his scouting trips, but after hearing Barry's descriptions, I'm not quite as disappointed. I don't know if there are broken sprinklers in heaven, or healthcare data to be acquired and processed, but I'm sure he's finding a way to serve. Maybe he's helping his dad take a couple of thousand sheep to the winter pasture. All my love, - John
Could there ever be a sweeter individual than Reed? And, yet, he was so accomplished in his field of biostatistics, a real pioneer. I so enjoyed our infrequent but meaningful interactions at various stake functions, particularly in stake bishopric meetings and various youth outings. He will be missed greatly. I will be sending $200.00 to the Wayne and Bessie Scholarship Fund at Dixie College.
May you, Jackie, and the rest of the family be blessed with the Lord's comforting spirit and with a knowledge of eternal life with Reed.
Roger
Reed was one of the greatest examples in my life. I worked for him as a "summer wonder" throughout my medical school years where I totally underestimated the significance of the work he was doing. When I became more aware, I realized what a giant that was living amongst me both professionally, but even better, in my ward and neighborhood. I will always be grateful for a giant who appeared to be a humble, capable, everyday-kind-of guy whose example was unmeasurably wonderful to us. Ginny and I both wish Jackie and family the very best along with peace and gratitude for being a part of such a wonderful life. We love you.
Jesse and Ginny
Dear Jackie,
We send our love and best wishes to you and your family. Reed was my mentor and friend for most of my adult life. Together we accomplished much in the medical/hospital world. He was especially good at identifying a problem in healthcare pulling together a team to find and implement a solution. No ideas were dismissed. He encouraged me to write and present at meetings even though I was fearful of it. Failure was never an option on our projects together and I took that to heart and learned to never to quit trying.
Once we went on an airplane ride and found the place that his father had passed. I think Reed really enjoyed that ride. Even after the end of our hospital time together, we enjoyed seeing each other in St. George. The old house remodel and the cactus planting where truly amazing. We even did an airshow together. He was always happy and you were a big part of that. He always made us feel welcome and loved. We are all fortunate to have known and loved him.
Sincerely,
Bill and Whitney Hawley