1/5/1931 – 2/26/2026
Lawrence
Dorothy “Dottie” Gardner, a vibrant and spirited 95-year-old passed away February 26, 2026, in Lawrence KS. Dottie was born January 5, 1931, in Indianola MS to William & Ira May Poole. At 20 she joined the U.S. Civil Service, taking her to Clark Air Force Base (AFB) in the Philippines. There she met and married the love of her life for 64 years, Lt Col Gayle Gardner, a USAF fighter pilot. She built a life defined by family, service, and adventure.
As an Air Force family, Dottie, Gayle, and their three sons, traveled across Asia, Europe, and the U.S. In 1966, while stationed in Washington DC, Dottie earned her master’s degree at George Washington University. In 1967, during their assignment in England, she began her lifelong career in Education, teaching elementary school at High Wycombe AFB, UK.
Their last USAF assignment took them to Hawaii in 1969 where Dottie taught 5th grade at Pearl Harbor Kai Elementary. Then, in 1970, she joined Punahou Academy teaching 8th grade algebra. Among her many students, was young “Barry,” later known as President Barack Obama. After retiring from Punahou at age 73, she taught at a Christian school until age 81, concluding a remarkable 45-year career in the classroom.
While in Hawaii, Dottie, her husband and three sons (all licensed pilots) owned and operated a flight school and cargo airline throughout the islands. But it was not all work and no play. The entire family got licensed in SCUBA diving and explored the magnificent undersea world, lobstered, and spear fished in the crystal blue Hawaiian waters. They also enjoyed boating, skiing, surfing.
Teaching was not just Dottie’s profession it was her calling. She kept educating students by tutoring them in her home. Even at 95, with progressing dementia, she continued by tutoring composition editing for her memory care house manager who was attending nursing school.
Dottie was universally loved and will be remembered by students and caretakers for her vivacious spirit, youthful energy, unfiltered honesty, and keen sense of humor. If a measure of success is leaving a place better than one found it, Dottie was profoundly successful. She leaves behind a loving family and a legacy in the lives of countless students whose paths she helped shape.
Dottie will be lovingly remembered by her eldest son, also a USAF fighter pilot, Major General Retired, Greg (Gina) Gardner of Lawrence, KS; her grandchildren Gary (Caitlin) Gardner of Overland Park KS, Rachel Gardner of Lawrence, KS, Amanda (Luke) Stallbaumer of Topeka, KS, Chase (Paige) Vervynck of Denver, CO; and her great grandchildren Walter, Hadley, Dannie and CJ.
Dottie will be laid to rest in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in her beloved island home, Hawaii beside her husband and sons, Gary & Gordon Gardner.
Dottie loved the service volunteer Chaplains gave to first responders so in lieu of flowers, donations in her name may be made to the First Responder Chaplain Association, 2518 Ridge Court, Suite 207, Lawrence, Kansas 66046, or online at https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/N4PVJVQKMHHJU
Rumsey-Yost Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. To leave a message for Dottie’s family, please visit Rumsey-Yost.com.
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