Ray Gardner Obituary

Ray Allen Gardner, 93, made one final trip home. He passed away peacefully in his home on Tuesday, October 14, 2025 in Milton, Pennsylvania.
Ray was born on April 10, 1932 to Harvey C. and Annie C. (Hilner) Gardner in a farmhouse above Strawberry Ridge. He left the farm at 15 years old and started driving to Baltimore for his father's fertilizer business. Shortly after, he married the former Jean Carole Haas of Lewisburg, and together the two shared over five decades.
Ray spent nearly 60 years of his life on the road in a Peterbilt. He always claimed that he traveled through every state in the continental U.S. and never deadheaded for loads. On the radio, he was known by his CB handle "Chipmunk."
Throughout his life, Ray enjoyed attending sales and auctions. He was never one to pass up a deal. A great appreciator of Sunday morning flea markets, he often attended them with his wife and grandchildren. Ray had a keen eye for antiques. After retiring as a truckdriver, he collected and sold them in what used to be his father's general store in Strawberry Ridge.
He also enjoyed spending his time socializing and attending dances. If country music was on, he was out on the floor. Ray had great style and was always sharply dressed; his pearl snaps and bolo ties were only rivalled by his collection of cowboy hats and boots. Later in life, Ray would spend his winters in Arizona and referred to himself as the "Arizona Kid." Ray enjoyed watching and reading westerns throughout his life.
Greatly missed will be his unforgettable sense of humor often accompanied by a wink. Ray was always seeking opportunities for a practical joke or a good scare. He often answered his home phone with "Milton State Police."
He was a devoted husband, a wonderful father and a celebrated grandfather and great-grandfather. There are many treasured memories of hunting and fishing with grandsons and dancing at fire halls with granddaughters. Ray will be missed by so many, but remembered fondly and often by those he has left behind.
Ray is survived by four children: Kon-Jordan Gardner of Milton, Dorothy (Chris) Biddle of Danville, Deborah (Gerald) Werner of Watsontown and Harvey Gardner of Strawberry Ridge; 14 grandchildren: Jesse Ray (Melissa) Gardner, Shane (Marisa) Gardner, Jeffery Shetler, Chad (Kristie) Werner, Ashley Gardner, Annie (Steven Good) Biddle, Eiderson (Emily) Biddle, Jennifer (Jacob Golomboski) Werner, Rae-Ellah (Sean) Tetreault, Greta (Tyler Fern) Biddle, Elias Biddle, Marah Biddle, Sarah (Kyle) Drick and Sophia Biddle; and 12 great-grandchildren.
Besides his wife, Jean, he was preceded in death by son, Dennis Gardner; brother, Charles Gardner; sisters: Frances Wynn, Gladys Laubach and Mildred Dewald; and daughter-in-law, Chrissy Williams.
A viewing will be held from 10-11am on Monday, October 20 at Brooks Funeral Home, 207 Broadway St., Turbotville, with a funeral service to follow at 11am, with Pastor Shawn McNett officiating. Burial will follow in White Hall Cemetery.
To share a memory or condolence for the family please visit www.wfbrooksfuneralhome.com
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