Our USAF Chief Master Sergeant (retired), Leroy “Okie” Gardner, is no longer with us. To loved ones, he was “the wind beneath our wings”. To students and acquaintances, he was always a “booster”. May our gracious memories of him serve as a “feathered prop” – something to be carried on our continued flights without being an unnecessary drag.
Okie Gardner was born July 25, 1923 on Gardner Mountain in Gowen, Oklahoma, to George H. and Eva L. (Porter) Gardner. The family later moved to Shawnee where Okie graduated from Shawnee High School and then enlisted in the Army Air Corps on 8 August, 1941 at age 18. In less than one year he rose to the rank of sergeant and become the youngest sergeant in the U.S. Army at that time.
Following his retirement from the U.S. Air Force (24 years active duty) as a Chief Master Sgt., he moved on with his aviation career, first as instructor of the C-141 program at Tinker AFB and then progressed to become the chief instructor of the C-5A program in Altus.
An honor bestowed upon Okie just prior to his federal civil service retirement was the naming of an auditorium at Altus AFB, the Leroy “Okie” Gardner Auditorium, notable because this is normally a posthumous honor.
Upon his second retirement from Federal Civil Service (21 years), he was honored on 2 January, 1987 with a proclamation signed by then Governor George Nigh proclaiming that day as “Okie Gardner Day” in Oklahoma.
Okie is survived by son David and wife Jana of Duncan; daughter April Miller Schultz and companion Keith Heinley; daughter-in-law Linda Gardner. Also surviving are grandchildren Eric Miller of Edmond, wife Christie, children Zack and Emily; Jeremy Gardner of North Richland Hills, TX, wife Liz, children Victoria and Joseph; Sarah Blakley-Weider of Katy, TX, husband Michael and children Gabe, Bethany and Sheralynn; Nicole Blakley-Chaudoin of St. Peters, MO, husband Shaun and son Ethan; Michael Glass, wife Mary Alice, children Autumn and Cody of Lebanon, TN; and Casey Dees of Oklahoma City. Okie is also survived by many nieces, nephews and extended family and friends.
He was preceded in death by wife of 61 years, Betty Lorraine (Gunning) Gardner, son
Dan Gardner, daughter Sherry Blakley, and parents.
Funeral services will be Thursday morning, July 5, at 10:00 am at Hahn-Cook/Street & Draper with visitation prior to the service. Interment will be at Rose Hill Burial Park.
