Clifford R. Gardner

Waltham - Mr. Clifford R. Gardner, of Waltham, adored husband, father, grandfather died Sunday, May 17, 2015 at home with his loving family by his side. He was 86.

Clifford was born May 7, 1929 and was raised and educated in Somerville where he graduated from Somerville High School. He served his country honorably during World War II in the United States Army in Korea with Company B of the 6th Engineers. Meeting his sweetheart, Dorothy L. Thornburg at the West Somerville Baptist Church, they married there on February 17, 1951.

The couple moved to Waltham in 1957 and he later graduated from Refrigeration and Air Conditioning School. He worked many years at H.P. Hood & Sons Co. in Charlestown and Watertown. Cliff established his own real estate company in 1974, Gardner Realty in Belmont and was a very successful broker. Cliff was also a private contractor inspector for the Waltham Housing Authority.

Cliff was an active, devoted and committed member of the First Baptist Church and at various points served on all its boards and building committees and was the church moderator for 18 years. At the time of his death he was the chairman of the board of trustees. In earlier years he was a master councilor of Boston Demolay and member of King Solomon's Masonic Lodge in Somerville and Triad Masonic Lodge in Newton. He was a member of the O.P.A. in Ocean Park, Maine where he and his family spent many happy summers together.

Cliff's family offers words of thanks to VNA Hospice and the Visiting Angels for the wonderful and tender care of Cliff and the family during his brief illness.

He leaves his beloved wife of 64 years, Dorothy L. (Thornburg) Gardner; his cheirshed children, Ellen G. Licato and her husband, Michael, and Stephen D. Gardner and his wife, Catherine, all of Waltham; and he was very proud of his grandchildren, Thomas Gardner and his wife, Kristin, Stephen Gardner Jr. and his wife, Lauren, Brian Gardner and Suzanne Licato DeGisi and her husband, Costantino and his great-granddaughters Allison and Jillian Gardner, all of Waltham.

Family and friends will honor and remember Clifford's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Thursday, May 21st from 4 to 8 p.m. and again on Friday morning in The First Baptist Church, 400 Lexington Street where his funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Burial in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge will be at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made The First Baptist Church, 400 Lexington Street, Waltham 02452.