John Daniel Gardner

John Daniel Gardner BA ’69, June 5, 2022, age 75. Gardner married Christine Larson in 1970. During their 11-year marriage, they had two sons, Ian and Alex. At the conclusion of law school, Gardner worked as a Multnomah County deputy district attorney for 24 years. After retiring from the DA’s office, he worked part time for Beaumont Hardware, New Seasons Market, and the Moon and Sixpence. Gardner was a man of many talents and interests, but his first priority was his boys. He took pride in raising them as a single father, supporting their sporting, social, and scholastic efforts. Before entering law school, Gardner was part of the Old Spaghetti Factory management team, and traveled with the company to open up new locations. He created the concept for Frankenstein’s, one of the first large live music venues in Portland. Later, he tended bar at Stanich’s. Gardner ran numerous Portland marathons as well as the Boston Marathon. For a time, he was responsible for the Portland Marathon’s route design. While at the DA’s office, he volunteered with the Grant High School Classroom Law Project and took pride in its many successes. While Gardner was a top student and on the Lewis & Clark Law Review, he wasn’t all about his studies; the volleyball tournaments from those days are legendary. He was also an avid reader of history; a lover of music (especially rhythm and blues and Celtic ballads); a nature photographer and bird watcher; and, briefly, a drummer in the Clan Macleay Pipe Band. Gardner was always true to his beliefs, his strong core values, and his true path. He is survived by his sons, Ian (Lindsay), Alex (Kaitlyn); his five grandchildren, Austen, Max, Jonathan, Ella, and Wesley; his sisters, Ann and Mary Pat; and his nieces, Maggie and Kate. 

John Gardner BA ’03 earned a PhD in higher education leadership from Colorado State University in May 2019. He now works as director of Title IX and training at A.T. Still University of Health Sciences.