CARIBOU and FORT KENT – Leslie Gardner, 92, died peacefully Feb. 1, 2011, at a Caribou health care facility. He was born Jan. 25, 1919, in Allagash, son of Thomas and Gladys (Mills) Gardner.
During World War II Leslie served in the U.S. Army from 1943 to 1945. He was a member of Fort Kent Veterans of Foreign Wars Lozier O’Grady Post No. 9609. For more than 60 years Leslie was a Maine state guide. For many of those years he worked for McNally Sporting Camps on Long Lake, Allagash. In his later years he enjoyed telling stories, feeding the deer and the birds in the back of his home. He will be dearly missed by his family and friends.
He is survived by his sister, Clara and her husband, Gene McBreairty, of Allagash; his brother, Elden and his wife, Jean Gardner, of Portage; a special nephew and his wife, Allan and Sue Gardner of Allagash; special cousin, Faye O’Leary of Allagash; many special nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by three brothers, his twin brother, Lester, Hubert and Wilbur Gardner; and one sister, Vera Gibson.
Friends may call 6-8 p.m. Thursday and noon until time of service Friday at Daigle Funeral Home, Fort Kent, where funeral services will be held 1 p.m. Friday with pastors John Dik and Gary Gardner officiating. Spring burial with full military honors will be held 2 p.m. May 18 at Allagash Municipal Cemetery. Those who wish may donate in Leslie’s memory to a charity of one’s choice.