Bert Gardner

Bert Thomas Gardner 83; of Milton, DE, was born on August 14, 1943 to the late Lou Agnes Gardner, a gift on her twentieth birthday; in Adams, Tennessee. He transitioned peacefully into eternal rest surrounded by family on Friday, August 21, 2026, at Bayhealth Kent Campus in Dover.

He obtained his early education at Cedar Hill Elementary in Cedar Hill, Tennessee; and Bransford High in Springfield, Tennessee.

He began his life legacy of strong work ethic at the age 10, joining his grandfather as a sharecropper. At the age of sixteen, Bert relocated to Delaware to be with his mother and siblings. He remained in Delaware and built a fruitful life for him and his family. Shortly after relocating to Delaware, he met and united in matrimony with Gloria Mae Smith, who was the love of his life and grew his loving family.

Throughout his life, Bert was employed in a variety of industries and positions including golf course maintenance technician, dishwasher at the Lamp Post Restaurant, and trash truck driver for White Line Trash Company. It was this job that inspired his entrepreneurial spirit and led him to establish Gardner’s Trash Removal Service in 1984. His business was his pride and joy. He was truly a jack of all trades!

In his spare time, he enjoyed working in his garden, collecting and recycling cans, spending time with family, and talking on the phone with his sister Linda Holliday and brother/cousin Dempsey “Skipper” Walton for many hours.

Bert was preceded in death by his grandparents Etta & Lawson Gardner Jr., daughter Teresa Gardner-Maker; brother James Jones; Sister Adale Jones; six uncles; Ike and Eugene Hicks; Charles Henry Gardner; Lawson Jr. Gardner Woodard Gardner Sr.; five aunts Mary Hammond; Isabelle Walton; Mamie Price Amie Gardner; Christine Harmon, and cousin Mary Gwendolyn Watson who was truly a sister to him.

He leaves to cherish his legacy: his wife of 64 years, Gloria Mae Gardner; two daughters, Roberta A. Gardner-Eley (Michael) of Milton, DE, and Jacqueline Y. Gardner-Merrill (Glenn) of Milford, DE; one son, Pedro Powell, Sr. (Virginia) of Lewes, DE; three sisters, Linda Holliday, Cynthia Jones of Blades, DE, and Deborah Brittingham (Robert) of Seaford, DE; two brothers, Carl Jones (Emily) of Warner Robins, GA, and Larry Jones, Sr. of Norfolk, VA; twelve grandchildren, Dejay Gardner (Tameka), Darius Chandler, Terez Gardner, Krystle Blackwell, Latoya Harris (Dr. Darrynn), Angel Eley, Kurtia Maker, Tayvona Powell (Rob), Anesha Powell, Pastor Michael Eley, Jr. (Deja), Pedro Powell, Jr., and Amiya Powell; fifteen great-grandchildren, Zion, Zimir, Casiya, Terez, Jr., Semaj, Bryana, Elias, Hazel, Makayla, Mycah, Myla, Kylar, Kamarii, Delano, and Nallah Devan; two great-great-grandsons, Zayden and Kayson; one goddaughter, Nicole Weston; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends, and customers.