Craig Alan Gardner

Graig Alan Gardner
Carrollton & Farmers Branch
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1982 - The Roar
R. L. Turner High School
Carrollton, Dallas Co., Texas
Freshman Class

OBITUARY

Craig Alan Gardner (1963 - 2015)

Craig was born on October 8,1963, in Dallas, Texas, to the late Glenn Jack Gardner and Millie (Winter) Gardner. He lived most of his life in the Dallas area except for three years in Germany while in the US Army. He thoroughly enjoyed his time in the military and the great friends he made in the tanker unit. He loved to travel over seas and would of done it more often if he could.

Craig loved music and never tired of listening to his favorite groups and going to concerts with his friends. He collected watches and cameras. He also enjoyed a wide range of movies and hot rod cars. He has driven big rigs across country and locally He also drove limos. Recently, he has been working in security.

Craig is survived by his mother, Millie Blalock and step-father, Ronald Blalock; sister, Michelle (Gardner) Springer and her husband, Greg Springer; sister, Glenna (Gardner) Orsburn and her husband, Tim Orsburn and their son, Tyler Orsburn; aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who will miss Craig very much.

"....And if you listen very hard

The tune will come to you at last.

When all are one and one is all

To be a rock and not to roll."

"Stairway To Heaven"

----LED ZEPPELIN

BIOGRPAHY

In Memory of
Mr. Craig Alan Gardner
October 8, 1963 - August 10, 2015
Obituary-Biography

Introduction:
Most of you know me as Charlton Lee, a cousin of Craig Gardner. Today, we have the unenviable duty of celebrating Craig’s life and then saying goodbye. I am like you today, very confused, frustrated, and extremely sad: while I stand in front of you giving a eulogy for a boy 9 years my junior, who had so much still ahead for him. A man who was entering what would have been the patriarch years that comes with authority, guidance, leadership for the young ones now just coming out of their formative, youthful years. But through action of his own, none of this will now be a reality.
Depression is a physical disease. It causes a chemical imbalance in the brain that makes it very difficult to feel happiness or sometimes feel anything at all. Depression lies. It tells you that you are nothing, that you can do nothing, and that you have nothing to give to those you love.
However, I never personally observed any hint of a manic depressive condition in Craig, starting from the earliest days I knew him as a child, to the last days I saw him over at his Mother’s house in the late 90’s.
What has happened is so incredibly unfair and so sudden that it seems completely senseless. We may never understand all of the things that were in his mind the day of this terrible tragedy. Now there is this dark gaping hole for those who remain that is very difficult to close.
However, from what we observed from Craig’s life implies something different. Let me give you some context.

Younger Years:
In the beginning, my parents would take me to Christmas and Thanksgiving events at Millie and Jack’s home in Garland, Texas. I would remember Thanksgiving with fantastic dishes served by both Millie and her sister, my mother. All of this made with love and joy. It was at that time that I remember Craig and his sister, Glenna, as very young children. I remember Craig playing with his toys during those events. Millie and Jack loved their children very much. They had a normal happy life. These were very innocent, wonderful times. We were all young and the whole world was full of opportunity.
Later, with my family still in Richardson, Millie and Jack followed the Radio shack opportunity to Farmer’s Branch, Texas. Again, my family and Millie’s would alternate holidays at each other’s homes. Craig and Glenna continued to grow and began to develop into respectable kids. Also, Millie and my mother were the best of friends and the sister bond was very strong. These were happy times. Life continued to be good.

Early Teenager Years
Now, there is a gap in time where I go to college, I follow my family to Alberta Canada, I return to the University of Texas to graduate. During that time, unfortunately, Jack Gardner passed away untimely. Craig was shockingly close to the event of his Father’s passing away. No doubt this experience had a big impact on Craig going forward.
The family was extremely saddened, and Millie wanted to give her children a change in scene, so in 1978-1979, Millie moved her family to Woodville, Texas, her childhood home.
During this time, they shared time with Millie’s parents, sister and brother. Also, Millie was working at a radio station. While Craig was quite young, his voice had changed, and he had a very mature sounding voice. Craig convinced the manager of the radio station to let him host the Gospel hour on Sunday mornings. With his great radio voice, the older women loved him! They did not know he was just 15!
During this period while unemployed and needing a place to live, Millie generously offered her Garland home while my wife and I settled in Dallas. Coincidently, I met their neighbor, Tom Hill who introduced me to his work place and there I was offered employment for my first accounting job. I have been forever indebted to Millie and her family for this opportunity.

Music
In those formative years, Craig began to show a lot of interest in music, particularly rock and roll.
When Craig was in Vivian Field middle school, he was in a band. It was called the Velvet Hammer. Craig played guitar with his friend Tommy. In fact, I believe that Tommy is here in the audience, and he will be handing out autographs after the memorial. At the time, Millie had difficulty appreciating how leading edge this band was!
Craig liked concerts. My sister Michelle remembers going to concerts with him at a very early age. I went to concerts with Craig. One of them was a head banging concert off of Greenville. I don’t know how many times we would get together with libations and watch MTV for hours at my house. We listened to AC/DC, ZZ Top and Van Halen. In later years, I picked up metal rock from Craig. His favorite became mine: Metalica.
In later years, as a professional truck driver, Craig would coordinate his route with good concerts.

Craig’s Health Condition
It was around this time, his mother discovered that Craig was dyslexic. On a math test, Craig had missed every question except for one: the equation 11 + 11 = 22. This was the only question where the answer worked both right to left as well as left to right.
This was before dyslexia was fully understood by the medical community. His mother was heart broken and so worried about Craig’s options later in life with such a taxing condition.
But amazingly, Craig had a marvelous capability to retain detailed facts just from a casual conversation, as well as near photographic retention from a single reading pass. Craig made B’s and NEVER brought home a book. He just remembered anything recited to him in a scholastic environment.
Even with severe Dyslexia, Craig was a walking encyclopedia, and he had an innate ability to tie processes together in a logical sense. In fact, this ability made Craig a great story teller: he made any story quite entertaining, believable, and realistic.
This encyclopedia capability gave Craig an amazing vocabulary. Once exhibiting this skill set, Craig always seemed 10 years beyond his age. It was this amazing ability that made Craig in my eyes a peer, not a kid a decade my junior.

Work History
• After RL Turner High School:
• Warehouse, worked with his best friend Doug, who later died in Cancun.
• Glass company. Cambodians comer rouge-several workers were victims of that at the glass factory
• Printing company. Craig really enjoyed the profession printing trade. Craig and I talked about starting a business together- entrepreneurship. Printing was discussed
• Security company
• Started a female accessories retail shop with one of his ex-wives
• 18 wheeler truck driver - 8 years. Not sure whether he drove for a company or was a part owner of the rig. His routes took him all over the U.S.

Military
• Honorable discharge
• 3 years In Germany - 4 years in total.
• A tank crew member- Abrams M1
• During desert storm his was part of a training unit based in Kentucky but he had to train people. They finally decided to let him go, but then Bush ended it. War was 1990 went in in 1987
• Craig loved the military- was proud of his service. He again exhibited an amazing ability to retain facts about military weapons and general facts about military.
• While in the military, Craig was in top physical shape. He ate right, he was healthy.
Close
A general observation is when you feel better about yourself, you have more energy, you eat better, you are healthy. Your personality loses restraint. Your emotions grow bigger and more forceful, while your reactions and decisions are still just as rash.
We can compare notes later, but it seems that from the military on back, there was happiness with Craig, and after the military, that happiness slowly transitioned into unhappiness. That somehow led to depression for Craig. Something we never saw or anticipated. Though maybe the warning signs were there.
Depression lies, Depression cheats, It makes it impossible for you to think clearly, for you recognize long-term consequences, or even conceive of the possibility of the long-term.
Depression has stolen Craig from us. One has to assume that with Craig’s action that he has ended whatever pain he was going through and now he is at peace.

Poem
I would like to wrap up this eulogy with a poem.
“No one knew the torment
that you were going through;
We only kept on seeing
What we really wanted to.
We saw the outward smile
but not your inner pain;
We never really dreamt,
That you would never smile again.
Forgive us if we failed to see,
What we could do to aid
Or if we failed to comprehend,
How much you were afraid.
We pray your mental anguish,
Will now forever cease;
and that you deep anxieties,
will be replaced by peace.
We know your pain invaded
every single thought you had;
it made you cry internally,
and deeply, deeply sad
But we in turn remember,
the good times, not the bad;
we remember when you smiled at us
and not when you were sad
So when we think about your life,
We won’t dwell upon it’s close;
We’ll remember all the good times,
and forget about life’s blows.
We’ll remember all the happiness,
The joy and not the tears;
the assurance and the confidence
and not irrational fears
Our lives have all been better,
because you have been there;
so now we leave your memory,
In God’s all-loving care.”

Close

Notes:

In Memoriam - R. L. Turner High School - Class of 1982