STEPHEN B. GARDNER

Stephen B. Gardner, age 46, of Palmer, died Sunday, Jan. 5, 2003, at Valley Hospital in Palmer.

A private family memorial service will be held at the family residence in Palmer today, Jan 10, at 1 p.m.

He was the son of Paul Gardner and Billie Gardner born Nov. 25, 1956, in Oregon City, Ore. He moved to Alaska with his family in 1957, homesteading in the Anchor Point area, then moved to the Palmer area with his family in 1994. He served in the U.S. Navy aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise during the Vietnam era. He was a disabled veteran.

Mr. Gardner's hobbies and special interests included fishing, hunting, telling jokes and his 1967 Dodge Charger. He was an active member of the Valley Cruisers automobile club.

Family members said, "In lieu of flowers the family would like you to do what you can to get the government to give our veterans in Alaska the medical care that they deserve for serving their country."

He is survived by his parents, Paul Sr. and Billie Gardner of Palmer; children, Jessica and her husband Theron Koch of Anchorage, Michael Gardner of Canby, Oregon; brothers, Paul and his wife Cheryl Gardner of Wasilla, Gary Gardner of Prineville, Ore., David and his finance Terri Creighton of Wasilla; sisters, Patricia Commanda of Canby, Ore., Nancy Hoover-Webb and husband Howard Crandell of Ninilchik, Sharon and husband Don Walker of Hubbard, Ore., and Debbie and husband Phil Bond of Aurora, Ore.; granddaughter, Katie Marie Koch of Anchorage; fiancŽ, Bridgette Barnum of Wasilla; several nieces and nephews; and numerous relatives and friends.

Mr. Gardner's ashes will be scattered over Cook Inlet where he spent many years fishing.

Arrangements were made by Valley Funeral Home & Crematory of Wasilla.