In Memory

Paul Gardner

Entry provided by John Green (J. Franklin Green)
Date Of Birth: 9-6-1953
Date Deceased: 5-20-2018
Age at Death: 64
Cause of Death: brain cancer
Classmate City: Scottsdale
Classmate State: AZ
Classmate Country: USA
Survived By: three sons, Joe, Paul, John and wife Tina -

We met nearly sixty years ago in Mrs. Morgan's kindergarten class at Guilderland Elementary school. He taught me how to tie my shoes and we became close friends almost instantly. So much so, that in subsequent years the school went to great pains to see that we were not frequently in the same classroom. Like best friends do, we played, fought, got into trouble and shared intimate confidences. As we grew up together through high school those things never changed. He and I double dated or just went out together. He has been mentioned at length in several of my books but I could fill an entire volume about our relationship without difficulty. Our careers and lives diverged greatly but that never mattered. We attended each others weddings. Our various wives and girl friends knew us both and they knew the score. He named his second son after me and we always knew that if the shit really hit the fan, we would be there for each other. Distance and time came between us as it commonly does. Visits became less frequent and when I moved three thousand miles away they became rare except by telephone. A year ago I saw him for the last time during a cross-country road trip. Several months later, it struck me deeply that scant hours before he went in for brain surgery he sent me an e-mail telling me about his illness. "Bad luck" was the heading -- typical of him to face the seriousness of the operation in such a matter of fact way. I never got to really talk to him again because of the results of the illness and surgery. As a writer I should be able to frame the right words but this is how it is: Paul Gardner died yesterday and part of me died with him. 



 
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05/24/18 09:45 AM #1    

John Green

Paul resided in Pennsylvania - not Arizona - anyway he was a very successful businessman - possibly the most successful of any in the  class of 1971 - He actually graduate early.  I last saw him in May 2017  - I recieved this e-mail in August 2017 - 

Hi John, hope you're doing well and getting back to normal after your cross country trip. I had a speech stuttering event for 30 seconds shorty after you left. Thought nothing of it as it never happened before. Then on July 21 Tina & I were traveling back from Newark airport & stopped at a restaurant, I had a seizure in right arm & couldn't get words out , again only lasted  minute or less. She drove me to Geisinger Medical ER , called ahead to one of town house tenant doctors  & they set up a team of doctors for a possibility of a mini stroke when I arrived. They rushed me in to testing & medications admitted me for the weekend & did complete testing. I have brain cancer . They explained the choices of removing the tumor , radiation & chemotherapy. I then traveled the next week Sloan Kettering cancer center  in NYC  , John Hopkins in Baltimore, and Duke University for second opinions & experience in treating this . I chose Duke in North Carolina . It's the best and biggest cancer center in the Country. I have a team of specialists and the best head brain surgeon, his name Allen Freeman, he is the one that operated on Ted Kennedy and others with this form of tumor, I think John McCain is coming here too. I'm scheduled for surgery @ 12:30 PM today. Just wanted to let you know . Friends, Paul
Sent from my iPad       

Aug 2nd 6:58:57 am MST

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That he thought to e-mail me shortly before his surgery touches me to my heart - 


05/24/18 09:50 AM #2    

John Green

a composite I made from my archives - the small boy he is holding is my oldest son Tyler - the woman was his second wife Linda c. 1991- the younger photo from first grade at Guilderland elementary - and last lower right taken in May 2017 in PA 


05/24/18 12:54 PM #3    

Sharon Mastrianni (Kumiszcza)

I am so saddened to learn about Paul.  I was not fortunate enough to have known him well, but he was loved by many.  John Green was the lucky one to have been his best friend.  John...what a lovely tribute to Paul.


05/24/18 01:38 PM #4    

Aino Parlo

I am very saddened to hear of Paul's passing especially because of his "bad luck" (his phrase) and unfairness of being stricken with the most prevalent terminal illness of our day.  The memories John Green has to offer provides a wonderful and proper tribute to his life, although it also saddens me how often we hear of someone's amazing life only after the fact.  But on a positive note, it sounds like Paul found success and happiness in his life, had a big family and the frame of mind to make sure he stayed in touch with at least his one significant high school and life long friend.  None-the-less, a life cut too short.  My condolences to Paul's family, to John Green and to all our fellow GCHS who knew Paul.


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