Byron Gardner passed away April 13 at his home in Albany at the age of 76. He was born Dec. 24, 1948, in Albany.

Byron lived in Albany for his entire life and worked for 30 years at the City of Albany in the Park Maintenance Department. The evidence of Byron's work in Albany parks is visible today in the many park structures and playgrounds. After "retirement" at 55, he worked for Stutzman Excavation before retiring for a second and final time.

After attending both Hesston College in Kansas and Lane Community College in Eugene, where he studied drafting, Byron served for two years in the Voluntary Service with Mennonite Central Committee in Clintwood, Virginia. During his time there helping to build and renovate homes for Appalachian families, he met and married Judy. They returned to Oregon shortly after their wedding and raised their two children in Albany.

There was hardly a spare moment when Byron wasn't out in his shop or working on some type of woodworking project. He loved every aspect of building and designed hundreds of pieces of furniture that will decorate the homes of friends and family for many years. Byron was also an avid golfer and loved to spend time on the course with family and friends. He and his wife, Judy, enjoyed traveling, camping in their RV, taking trips around the country and spending several winters in Indio, California, and Yuma, Arizona. In early 2008, Byron fulfilled his lifetime dream of building their home in North Albany from the ground up in a span of about nine months, while they lived in their RV on the property.

Byron accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior at a young age and attended Mennonite churches around the Mid-Valley — most recently, Albany Mennonite, where he and Judy have been members for more than 21 years.

He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Judy (Keen); son, Ryan Gardner (Jennifer) of Corvallis, Oregon, daughter, Angela Gardner of Beaverton, Oregon; grandsons Chase and Jacoby; brother Roger Gardner (Nancy) of Salem, Oregon, and brother Jerry Gardner (Mary Beth) of Bend, Oregon. He is preceded in death by his father, Albert, and mother, Laura.

A memorial service will be held at Albany Mennonite Church on Monday, April 21, at 2:30 p.m. Memorial donations may be made to the Albany Mennonite Church remodel fund at 3405 Kizer Ave. NE, Albany OR 97322, or the Mennonite Disaster Service, an organization that helps those struck by natural disasters around the country and for which Byron volunteered many times.