Jay “Bruce” was born in April 20, 1958 in North Carolina, son of Jack Butler Gardner and Sarah Jeannette Gardner.  His only sibling was his younger sister, Sara Elizabeth Gardner, whom he named.  Like his father, Bruce had a love for people and humor and was loved by many. His family moved to Richmond Virginia, where he grew up dedicated to piano performance and music composition. By the age of 14, he had composed a complete symphony, which he  called "The Seventh Rain". This composition won an award and was performed by the "Richmond Symphony". He graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University with a bachelors of music. As the concerto competition winner, he performing the "Khachaturian Piano Concerto" with the VCU orchestra to a stomping student applause (an honor from your piers). The local press referred to him as the handsome up and coming star. He won another concerto competition, which led to his guest artist performance of "Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto" with the Norfolk Symphony. For his mother, Bruce performed Gershwin’s “Rhapsody in Blue” as guest pianist with the Richmond Pops, as Gershwin was her favorite. Bruce moved to Phoenix, Arizona where he graduated with his Master's of Piano Performance from Arizona State . Bruce had a love for hiking  the Arizona mountains, the arts, intellectual pursuits and people. He continued to compose and perform and later became the Musical Director of a Presbyterian Church in Phoenix, Arizona, where he was choral director and also had a children’s bell choir . These children  performed at his  service in tears. He had a big heart and always reached out to those who seemed to be in need. He was close with his maternal grandmother, Margaret Turner Hawkins, who also lived in Phoenix, Arizona. He passed away at the age of 33, survived by his parents, sister and grandmother.