William Elton Gardner II (1930 - abt. 2003)

Born 10 Nov 1930 in Pasadena, Calif.

Ancestors

Husband of Lois Jean (Stoner) Gardner — married 25 Jun 1954 (to about 1977) in Lake Avenue Congregational Church, Pasadena, CA

Died about 21 Mar 2003 at about age 72 in Santa Rosa, Calif.

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Alison Gardner [send private message]

Bill Gardner II has Danish ancestors

Biography

Bill Gardner was born in Alhambra, Calif., in 1930. When he was still small (before 1934), the family moved back to Center, Saguache county, Colorado, to help his grandfather, William Elton Gardner, on his sheep ranch. After the elder Bill died (1937) they moved back to California, settling in Pasadena, and bringing Bill's grandmother, Effie (Eggleston) Gardner with them. Bill went to Pasadena Jr. High, Pasadena Jr. College, and then transferred to Westmont College in Santa Barbara, where he got his bachelor's degree in Psychology. He also got a teaching credential. Bill married Lois Stoner June 25, 1954, at their families' church (Lake Avenue Congregational) in Pasadena. They moved to Santa Barbara, where Lois' father helped them to buy property and build an apartment house. Bill taught 5th grade at Montecito Union School for around 5 years, then, tired of teaching, hired on at a research laboratory, Sloan Research on State St. in Santa Barbara. He worked his way up, and eventually bought the business when the owner wished to retire, changing its name to Technology of Materials. He did a lot of work for NASA, analyzing rocket nose cones and moon rocks. He analyzed the O rings on the space shuttle Challenger, and also the gas tanks on the Ford Pinto. Bill had interests in many things, he took pottery classes, and helped a potter friend with glaze chemistry calculations to develop early crystalline glazes. He hung out with the bohemian crowd in Santa Barbara in the 1960's. He had great appreciation of all arts and music. Lois and Bill divorced in 1969 (not finalized until 1976). Bill remarried to Anna. They divorced around 2000, before his death in 2003. Bill had adult-onset diabetes with peripheral neuropathy, and a series of strokes before his death, which was caused by a brain aneurysm due to falls. He was moved in to his son's home in Santa Rosa, CA a month or so before his death, because of frequent falls.

Sources

• Alison Gardner (his daughter)

• Richard Gardner (his brother)

• "California, County Marriages, 1850-1952," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:K866-4FP : 5 November 2017), William Elton Gardner and Lois Jean Stoner, 25 Jun 1954; citing Los Angeles, California, United States, county courthouses, California; FHL microfilm 1,343,371.

• "California Divorce Index, 1966-1984," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VPYL-68G : 15 May 2014), Lois J Stoner and William E Gardner, Dec 1969; from "California Divorce Index, 1966-1984," database and images, Ancestry (http://www.ancestry.com : 2007); citing Santa Barbara, California, Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services, Sacramento.

• "California Birth Index, 1905-1995," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VL1S-SWT : 27 November 2014), William Elton Gardner, 10 Nov 1930; citing Los Angeles, California, United States, Department of Health Services, Vital Statistics Department, Sacramento.

• "United States Social Security Death Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:JGQP-33V : 20 May 2014), William E Gardner, 21 Mar 2003; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).

• "United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KBCY-J73 : 23 May 2014), William Elton Gardner, Residence, Goleta, California, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information.

• "United States Public Records, 1970-2009," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QJ5Z-KHSW : 16 May 2014), William Gardner, Residence, Santa Barbara, California, United States; a third party aggregator of publicly available information.