James Leroy Gardner passed away on September 8, 2016, at his home in Jenks, Oklahoma. He was born on November 2, 1938, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, the fifth of five children born to Edgar and Vera (Stroud) Gardner. James was a graduate of Webster High School in 1957.
On September 4, 1964, James married Carolyn Ann Allen of Tulsa, Oklahoma. After twelve years of marriage, James and Carolyn adopted eleven-year-old Dorothy (DeeDee) Gardner and their family was complete. He and Carolyn loved square dancing and travel and enjoyed a happy life together until Carolyn passed in 2007. James worked as a draftsman for several companies in the Tulsa area. He had been retired from WorldCom for a number of years.
James spent much of his free time in artistic endeavors. He enjoyed making model airplanes, painting designs on clothing and Halloween pumpkins which he shared with friends and neighbors. James enjoyed football and spent time coaching youth football at Webster and in Jenks. He was a good husband and father, a good friend and a good neighbor. He will be well remembered and very much missed.
James is survived by one daughter, DeeDee (Keith) Rogers of Broken Arrow; one brother, Harold W (Georgia) Gardner of Sand Springs; one sister, Bobbie (Wendell) Cluck of Tulsa; and numerous nieces and nephews and grandnieces and grandnephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Carolyn (Allen) Gardner; his parents, Edgar and Vera (Stroud) Gardner; and two brothers, Arnold J Gardner and Bernard E Gardner.
Visitation will be on Tuesday, September 13, from 1 o'clock until 8 o'clock at Fitzgerald's Funeral Home, 91st and Harvard, Tulsa, Oklahoma. A memorial service will be held at 4 o'clock on Wednesday, September 14th at Fitzgerald's Southwood Colonial Chapel. A celebration of James's life will immediately follow the service. Salads, main dishes and desserts will be welcome. A private burial will be held on Thursday, September 15 in Calvary Cemetery.

Fitzgerald Southwood Colonial Chapel, 918-291-3500