Clifford T. Gardner, Jr.

Clifford T. Gardner Jr., 81, of Gardiner Rd., West Kingston, died Tuesday. Born in South Kingstown, he was the son of the late Clifford T. Gardner Sr. and Mary Gardner. Clifford served in the RI State Guard from 1944 to 1947 then became a twenty-seven year US Navy veteran serving in WWII, Korea and Vietnam, retiring in 1974 as a Chief Petty Officer. He then worked as an environmental police officer for the State of RI Department of Environmental Management for twenty-one years retiring in 1990. Clifford was a lifelong resident of South County and served a pastoral assistant at Church of the Ascension for many years. He was a coach of the American Legion Baseball for thirty-five years, a member of the American Legion Post 39, past commander for fourteen years, chaplain and service officer, a member of the American Legion Hall of Fame, Vietnam Veterans chaplain, president of USS Tarawa and a member of Hope Lodge #25 AF & AM. He was the father of Carl E. Gardner of Marstons Mills, MA; step father of Steven Kile of Warwick, Alex Martlano-Kile of Tiverton; the late Eric Kile and Debra Jean Gardner-Clarke; brother of Norman Gardner of Dalton, NH, Glenn Gardner of Exeter, Marilyn Barrington of Wakefield, Betty Rocha of Wakefield, Joyce Dias of Exeter; the late Harry and Franklin Gardner; grandfather of seven and great grandfather of three. A Requiem Eucharist will be celebrated Tuesday at 10:00 AM in the Church of the Ascension, corner of Main St. and Kenyon Ave, Wakefield. Visiting hours Monday 4-7 PM in the Avery-Storti Funeral Home, 88 Columbia St., Wakefield. Burial will be private. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Church of the Ascension, 370 Main St., Wakefield, RI 02879.