Rod Gardner, 49, of 150 Trading Post Lane; Island, Ky., died Saturday, Sept. 6, 2014, at the Owensboro Health Regional Hospital. James Rodney Gardner was born Aug. 11, 1965, in Owensboro, Ky., to William Epley and Dona Jean Coffman Gardner.
Rod was a security guard at Ohio County Hospital in Hartford and a member of Livermore United Methodist Church. He was the current Fire Chief for McLean County Eastern District Volunteer Fire Department and the Assistant Director of McLean County EMS. Rod was the recipient of the Hero of the Year Award from the American Red Cross and through his desire to help others, he was an organ donor.
Rod was preceded in death by his father, Bill Gardner.
Survivors include a son, Seth Tyler Gardner, of Island; a daughter, Brittany Sutherlin and husband, Eric, of Livermore; his mother, Dona Jean Gardner, of Island; a brother, Greg Gardner and wife, Barbara, of Island; and a sister, Sherry Ford and husband, Keith, of Owensboro.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday at Muster Funeral Homes, Livermore Chapel, with the Revs. Tony St. Clair and Barney Priar officiating. Burial will be in the Oak Hill Cemetery in Livermore. Friends may visit with Rod’s family from 4 p.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday and from 9 a.m. until time of services Wednesday at Musters in Livermore.
The Rod Gardner family requests that expressions of sympathy take the form of donations to the Rod Gardner, Memorial Fund; C/O First Security Bank; P.O. Box 54; Calhoun, Ky. 42327. Memorial contribution envelopes will be available at Musters in Livermore.
Share your memories and photos of Rod at: www.musterfuneralhomes.com.