William "Bill" Ellis Gardner
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Bill's obituary
William Ellis “Bill” Gardner
July 6, 1946 – May 17, 2025
William Ellis “Bill” Gardner passed away in the early morning hours of May 17th, 2025. With support from his family, Bill spent his final days surrounded by people who loved him. He kept his spirit of gratitude and his quick wit every step of the way.
Bill Gardner was born on July 6, 1946, in Kalamazoo, Michigan and grew up in the close-knit village of Vicksburg. He fondly remembered an adventurous childhood filled with reading books, playing sports, swimming in Sunset Lake and ice skating on winter ponds.
Bill graduated from Vicksburg High School in 1964, where he was a multi-sport athlete and excelled in baseball. He helped pay for college by working five summers at the Simpson-Lee paper mill in Vicksburg. He earned a degree from Michigan State University in 1969, where he forged lifetime friendships and was part of multiple intramural flag football championship teams.
Shortly after graduation, he was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War and stationed at the Pentagon.
Bill dedicated much of his professional life to public service, beginning with the Navy Department and later joining the U.S. Forest Service in Cadillac, MI. There, he served as Personnel Officer for the Huron-Manistee National Forests, and later as Regional Investigator and Labor Relations Specialist until his retirement in 2002.
He served for several years as President of the CASA baseball and softball program, where he coached countless young athletes. He also gave back through Habitat for Humanity and as a dedicated Hospice volunteer, offering companionship and care to those at the end of life.
An avid athlete and outdoorsman, Bill was a passionate runner, completing eight marathons including two Boston Marathons. He also had a lifelong love of baseball and fast-pitch softball, playing competitively well into adulthood.
For many years, he treasured the time spent at fall deer camp on Pine Lake in Wellston, Michigan with his father and their lifelong friends, and every summer he eagerly anticipated their annual fishing trip to Canada—traditions that held a special place in his heart.
In his later years, Bill found joy and peace at his home on 60 wooded acres in Paris, Michigan, where he gardened, maintained the land and embraced a quieter life.
He is remembered for his dedication to his family, his sense of humor, his service to others and his deep love of nature and sports. His quick wit, thoughtful words and kind heart will be dearly missed.
Bill is survived by his two beloved children, Kristin (Gardner) Falsetta and her husband Tony Falsetta, and Alex Gardner; his two cherished grandchildren, Anthony Falsetta and Kyle Falsetta; and his three siblings, Gene Gardner, Janet Kosacek and her husband David Kosacek and Richard Gardner; and many dear nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Marie (Ellis) Gardner.
A burial service will take place at Fort Custer National Cemetery on Friday July 25th at 1:30pm, followed by a Celebration of Life gathering at St Martin of Tours in Vicksburg, MI at ~2:30pm. Please RSVP at: tinyurl.com/CelebrateBillG
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to:
Hospice of Michigan
800.669.9335
989 Spaulding SE, Ada, MI 49301
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