Obituary: Kent Roy Gardner
August 21, 1955 – March 15, 2024
March 20, 2024 
Kent Roy Gardner, 1955-2024. Courtesy photo
Kent Roy Gardner of Waterbury Center, Vermont passed away on Friday, March 15, surrounded by loving family members.
Kent, a Californian from birth (born in Inglewood, Los Angeles on August 21, 1955) had made Vermont his home for the past 44 years after meeting and falling in love with a native Vermonter, Diane Buswell. The two met briefly in 1976 while Kent was serving a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints during the mid-70s in the Massachusetts Boston Mission. They connected again after his mission when Diane was living out West and they married for all time and eternity in the Los Angeles, California Temple in 1977.
They were still living in California when their first child, Nicole, was born. After a year and a half of raising a child in California, they decided to move the family to Vermont. Later in life, when one of his adult children visited the beautiful weather of California and questioned this decision, (anyone who has been in Vermont in January would understand) Kent said that Vermont and the opportunities it gave his children growing up was always the right decision for the family. That statement sums up a lot about Kent. He was always willing to do anything he could for his family.
Kent and Diane went on to have three more children: Ryan, Marla and Marie. Kent's greatest source of pride and happiness were his children and grandchildren, whom he adored dearly. Kent was always his children’s and grandchildren’s most passionate cheerleader. He was observant at noticing and developing talent in his children and would encourage and support them to work and improve. Of his own work he could be quite critical, but to him, his children and grandchildren were always the best at everything they did. Anything the kids were interested in, he fully supported, encouraged, told everyone about, and was excited for. That unwavering support helped shape and bless the lives of each of his children.
Kent was a hard worker and even as a teenager was constantly employed in one way or another, whether it was delivering newspapers or working at an art supply store. He was skilled in many ways but chose to use graphic design to make a living for most of his life. After retiring from full-time graphic design work, he operated a puzzle business making custom puzzles and he enjoyed connecting with people over the simple joy of creating a puzzle.
Kent was a remarkable man whose passion for art illuminated our lives. His creative spirit and talent brought joy to all who knew him. He is known for skillfully inscribing people's names in calligraphy, a gesture he extended to anyone he encountered, including hospital staff, office personnel, airplane crews, friends of friends and families alike. He never went anywhere without a fountain pen and pad of paper so that he could be ready to instantly transform a blank sheet of paper into a piece of name artwork. He loved when he would revisit somewhere like a store, office or house years and years later and see a name displayed that he had done.
He was predeceased by his parents, Robert Grant Gardner and Clea Anderson, in-laws Roy Louis Buswell and Laurette Fortier, son-in-law Robert Hogan, brother-in-law Kim Proctor, among many other family members.
He is survived by his wife, Diane Marie Buswell Gardner; siblings Brant (Valerie) Gardner, Debra Proctor, Gary Gardner, Bruce (Sylvia) Gardner; his children Nicole (Devon) Moss, Ryan (Aubrey) Gardner, Marla (Kevin) Eckman, Marie (Rutger) Hill; and grandchildren Rhett Gardner, Elle Gardner, Tate Gardner, Bree Gardner, Amelia Moss, Clara Moss, Winnie Moss, Iris Eckman and Zeke Eckman.
Gratitude is extended to all the medical personnel, particularly those who provided care in the last few years, ensuring a few extra years for him to be with us.
A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. on March 30, in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 224 Hersey Road, Berlin, Vermont.
In lieu of flowers, the family kindly asks for contributions to be directed to Waterbury Ambulance Service online at waterburyambulance.org or by mail to P.O. Box 95, Waterbury, VT 05677. Their unwavering efforts to sustain Kent's life are deeply appreciated.
Those wishing to express online condolences may do so at guareandsons.com.