John Douglas Gardner

John Douglas Gardner March 27, 1933 - December 8, 2017 John Douglas Gardner, “Doug”, 84, of Elm City went home to be with the LORD and to receive his eternal inheritance Friday morning December 8, 2017. Visitation will be held Monday evening December 11th from 6-8 p.m. at Oak Grove Free Will Baptist Church, 5921 Bridgersville Rd Elm City. The memorial service will be held on Tuesday, December 12th at 1:00 p.m. at Joyner’s Funeral Home, 4100 Raleigh Road Parkway, Wilson. Interment will follow in Evergreen Memorial Gardens, Wilson. One of ten siblings, Doug was a family man from the beginning. Born to a family of share croppers, his parents were founding members of Oak Grove FWB Church (1936) that began under a tobacco barn, of which Doug was a lifetime member. After marrying his wife, May, Doug was drafted and served in the United States Army for two years, one of which was spent in South Korea. Following his military service, he faithfully worked for Coca Cola for forty years. After retirement, he could be found working in his yard or caring for the area surrounding his beloved Windsor Lake. Doug is survived by his wife, May Gardner of Wilson; his only daughter Tammy Cone and husband, Dean; his grandson, Curt and his granddaughter, Jordan Cone; his brothers Kenneth Gardner and wife, Vicky, Clifton Gardner and wife, Janice, and James Gardner; his sisters Dorothy Tant and husband, Lemuel, And Linda Morris and Eunice Harrell, and he is also survived by several nieces and nephews, who he loved dearly. He was preceded in death by his brother; Martin Gardner, and his sisters, Lula Leigh Summerlin and Judy Carol Gardner. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Oak Grove FWB Church, 5921 Bridgersville Road, Elm City, North Carolina 27822; First Pentecostal Holiness Church, 2000 Ruann Drive SW, Wilson, North Carolina 27893; or to support the translation of the Bible into the Serbian language, done in Belgrade, Serbia, where Doug’s granddaughter lived for two years. Please make checks out to IMB, memo line: G11 Belgrade EV- Serbia. Checks can be mailed to: IMB Attn: Development P.O. Box 6767, Arlington, Virginia 23230 or can be made online at https://netcommunity.imb.org/IHO-missions Missionary name: G11 Belgrade EV – Serbia. Condolences may be directed to Joyner’s Funeral Home at www.joyners.net.