Lonnie L. Gardner, 60, a 10 year resident of the Birdsview community, passed away on Sunday, February 6, 2011 in Sedro-Woolley surrounded by those who loved him.
He was born on April 11, 1950 in Burlington, Washington, the son of Floyd & Mary (Reece) Gardner. The family shortly after moved to Concrete where Lonnie was raised and attended school, graduating from Concrete High School with the class of 1968. In January of 1970 he was drafted into the U.S. Army where he served his country during the Vietnam Conflict, for which he was awarded the Purple Heart.
After his discharge he returned to the Skagit Valley, making his home in Burlington from 1973 until 2000 when he then moved to Birdsview.
Lonnie worked as an equipment operator in the timber industry for many years through out the Skagit Valley.
He enjoyed hunting and fishing and had a passion for old cars. He enjoyed driving his ‘34 Ford Roadster, his ’34 “Grey Ghost” and his ‘23 T-Bucket.
Lonnie is survived by several nieces and nephews and many friends around the Skagit Valley. He was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd & Mary; two brothers, Dale & Glen and a nephew, Greg Gardner.
A Memorial Service with Military Honors will be held on Saturday, February 12, 2011 at 3:00 PM at Lemley Chapel in Sedro-Woolley. Inurnment will be at the Hamilton Cemetery at a later date.
Lonnie requests that memorials be made to the Hamilton Cemetery for the purchase of a Veterans Memorial Plaque.
Thankyou lonnie for the ride in your mustang when i was way younger. I hope your doing good up there in heaven with my sister and other family members. I miss you alot, we all do.
-kiaunna gardner
I was just thinking about Lonnie and all the great times we had. I caught my first steelhead with Lonnie. It was big and I think he was more excited than I was. We had a couple fishing trips to the west coast of BC. Caught lots of fish and had to build a bigger ice chest. I’ve been using his smoke fish recipe for years, everyone loves it. Lonnie was a stand up guy and will be remembered by many.
I bet you were in the blind that day I dropped my first duck, and in the boat when I couldn’t keep the fish off my line. I know when I hear the exhaust of a roadster you can never be too far away. We speak of you often, luckily we were left with some classic stories and one liners from “The Guide”. Three years is a long time and I’m not sure that I believe the theory that time heals all pain, sometimes missing you hurts just as bad as it did the evening you left. I hope the sun is shining, the Pepsi is cold, and the deer are plentiful in whatever clear cut you are scoping out now.
Lonnie and my self were in the army togeather at Ft Sam Houston Tx we were good friends sorry to hear. About his passing away, we will be friends forever.
THIS IS WHAT I WANTED TO GET UP AND SAY AT LONNIE’S MEMORIAL SERVICE BUT THERE WASN’T ANY TIME FOR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION, SO I PASS IT ON NOW:
AS MOST OF YOU KNOW I’M STEVE POPE. I HUNG OUT WITH LONNIE FROM AGE 11 TO 18 FOR THE MOST PART. AS A BOYHOOD FRIEND HE KEPT LIFE INTERESTING AND MOSTLY OUT OF CONTROL TO SAY THE LEAST.
AS KIDS WE ONCE MADE A STRANGE 3 WHEELED CONTRAPTION WITH NO BRAKES TO RACE DOWN THE STEEP ROADS AROUND CONCRETE.
WE RACED BOW BENFIELD AND LARRY CAMPBELL ON THEIR “HOT ROD” AND MANAGED TO LIVE THROUGH IT WITHOUT TOO MANY SCRAPES.
WE WALKED TO THE CITY DUMP AND LOVED TO EXPLODE OLD TELEVISION PICTURE TUBES OR THROW PRESSURED CANS INTO THE FIRES. THEY BLOWED UP GOOD, REALLY GOOD …
THEN THERE WAS THE TIME LONNIE WAS USING PLIERS TO PULL APART 22 SHELLS TO GET SOME GUN POWDER FOR FUN EXPERIMENTS
AND ONE OF THE SHELLS WENT OFF … I TOLD HIM I THINK IT WAS TIME FOR ME TO GO.
LONNIE WAS A DARE DEVIL. AT NIGHT HE TALKED ME INTO WALKING ACROSS THE OLD RAILROAD TRESTLE THEN CLIMBING UP THE WIRE RUNGS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE OLD CEMENT PLANT TO AN ALTITUDE I CARE NOT TO REMEMBER.
EVERYTHING I LEARNED ABOUT CARS AND ENGINES, I LEARNED FROM LONNIE. ONE THING THAT STICKS IN MY MIND IS THE TIME LONNIE
KINDLY INSTRUCTED ME ON HOW I WAS PUTTING THE LUG NUTS ON HIS CAR WHEELS BACKWARDS …
LONNIE WAS THE ONE WHO TALKED ME INTO JOINING THE BRAND NEW WRESTLING TEAM WITH COACH EVANS. AS I LOOK BACK ON IT, THAT WAS SOME GREAT TIMES!
THEN THERE WAS TRACK, FOR SOME REASON LONNIE COULDN’T RUN, BUT OF COURSE HE WAS REAL GOOD AT THE STRENGTH EVENTS.
WELL OLD BUDDY, WE’LL SEE YOU IN THE AFTERLIFE …
We are going to miss very much . our Lord Be with Forever.
one thing were going to miss is are street Rod Buddy .with all
our Love . and see you at Car Show.
with our 57 Chevy Flat bed
Bob & Linda Swingle
Mount Vernon WA 02/11/2011 at 11:00 pm
Lonnie, My sisters and I feel horrable we didn’t know you
were Sick, God knows we would have been there, Thank you
for all the fond memories, you were one of a kind and will
always been in our hearts.
Cheri, and family,
I am so sorry to hear about Lonnie’s passing! Lonnie was a awesome person, I havent seen him in a long time. But every time I seen him, he had a smile on his face. I have know Lonnie for years… he was agood friend of my parents… I will never forget Lonnie.. when I was 16 my parents bought my first car from Lonnie and Char. It was a beautiful dark blue volkswagon bug!!!! I was so cool !!! I loved it…. My thoughts and prayers are with you..
Rest in peace.
We cruised a few miles in our hot rods, going down river to shows or just to hang out.I am going to miss that. Rest in peace good friend. Rick
I am so sorry to hear of Lonnie’s passing. I had not seen him in several years. My former husband and I bought our first house right next door to Lonnie and Char. Such a kind and gentle soul, always willing to lend a hand and ALWAYS out tinkering in his shop! He will be remembered fondly. Rest in Peace…
Much sympathy and comfort to the family-
Jen Willis
Wow,just like that you are gone. We should have spent more time together. I have great memories in my head that i will never forget. May you rest in peace. Tony Starkovich……………….
Lonnie will be missed, Sure was fun riding sleds on Baker with you. There is one phrase I will never forget,, I love my 700. God bless you and to those who were there till the end.
Kelly
Ithough it’s been awhile since I had seen you Lonnie, I well remember the kind of person you were, growing up with you and going to school. You were a good and honorable man. May you rest in peace.
Sorry Lonnie , I was doing a few finishing touches, And poof it was gone. Thanks for all the wonderful laughter and the sparks in your eyes when telling a great storie,Be sure to throw a ball for Barney, I will say,however, God has a plan for us all ..? and they are all for a reason, ? God bless to you, Another day, Another path , We will cross , love Lisa Marie Gardner
Lonnie , You are a very strong old soul,, and now you are with loved ones you have missed, May God’s hand reach out, and embrace all those who never said their goodbyes , Please know you where a good person GRUMPY maybe?, May your Guardians take your spirit Homr Al in,Tell your parents hi. Cherri Ian, so sorry for your loss and your family, forgive even when you I will never forget that hunting season , You , Jeff and I shot that buck, Well thank’s for all the good laaughs and fond memories,and a few not, But thats what makes us all unique and thats what life is ., Thank you for the ride you took Kiaunna and I on that day in your Mustang
, that took unique
I have lost a great friend way too early. At least I”ll always be able to hold onto all the great memories we had together. Waterskiing on Baker Lake, fishing the lakes and rivers of the valley and beyond, camping,snowmobiling all over W.A. and W. Yellowstone, and motorcycling in the State. We worked together for several years and enjoyed are passions for play for many more. Lonnie, although it still pisses me off that you had more hair than I do, You”ll be greatly missed!
I met Lonnie when we moved to Concrete in 1961. We were neigborhood buddies from the start, riding bicycles, making a go-kart, graduating to old cars to drag across the Dalles Bridge. Generally staying out of trouble for the most part and having fun and a lot of laughs! There is only one Lonnie … Life is too damn short for some of us. His spirit lives on and lives within us. Your old friend, Steve
We will miss you “Robbie,Jacob and Cheri Lonnies sister”We both love you very much.Peace be with you.
Lonnie is a good example of a veteran coming home to live out his pain and agony of what war does to our soldiers.we see them quietly going through life,trying to forget it ever happened.You were a good ,loyal friend,God Bless you Lonnie.We will not forget you.Jim & reva
Lonnie I’ll miss you.
Sherri, My thoughts and prayers are with you. Lonnie & I went to school together from the 1st. grade on, he was always fun to be around,and a really nice guy. He will be missed. God bless you. Vickie
Uncle Lonnie is also survived by a sister Cheri Harrison. Mom I am so sorry for your loss. We all love Uncle Lonnie and will miss him so much. He will forever be in our hearts.
Lonnie,We will miss you.We have fond memories .God Bless.
Lonnie,We will miss you.We have fond memories of you..God Bless.
Lonnie,We will miss you.We have some good memories.Rest in peace.
Lonnie was a good and honorable man. He served his country with pride. I feel very fortunate to have spent 31 years with him. He looked forward to joining his brother Dale, who he lost when he was only 18, and his brother Glen. Now the family he loved and missed are together again. God Bless those who took care of him during his illness.
Char Gardner
Lonnie, so many remembrances of our years together in high school. You will be missed….
Phill alger
Lonnie was a special person and will be truely missed. I always looked forward to his visits to Grandy Creek Grocery. I affectionately named him “Grumpy”after one of the seven dwarfs. He in turn named me “Sleezy”, which I reminded him was not a dwarf. I shared lots of laughs with Lonnie and always enjoyed his unique sense of humor.
He often spoke about his nieces and Shandra and it was clear how much you all ment to him. I’m very sorry for your loss.
The Gardner Family
I am so, so sorry to hear of Lonnie’s passing. We lived next door to the Gardner family growing up as a child. I have so many fond memories of all of them. May God Comfort each and everyone of you. I am sure you all have fond memories of him, hold them close and cherish them.
JoyceVaara Holland