Emil Leon Gardner 78, passed away peacefully at his home in Cloverdale on March 16, 2021. Emil was born on March 12, 1943 in Shelby, Montana.
Emil joined the US Navy in 1962 and was stationed on the Aircraft Carrier USS Ranger. He married the late and former Shirley Green of Cloverdale in 1963. Emil was once part owner of the Grapevine Bar & Restaurant in Cloverdale. He retired from the Geysers, after nearly 50 years, where he first worked as a geothermal driller and later as geothermal, oil & gas consultant. While at Dresser Industries he travelled often to Colorado, Texas, Utah, Japan and Venezuela.
He was married to the late Martha Garrett from Cloverdale and Juanita Mercado.
Emil is predeceased by his parents and his brother Dwayne. He is survived by his current wife the former Bobbie Hamblin, brothers Alfred and Anson Gardner, his children Darla Gardner, son-in-law Rod Earnest, Eva Gardner and fiancé Jeff Kaiser, Dionne Gardner and son-in-law Billy Pint. He is also survived by his grandchildren David, Eli, Alaina, Donavon, Seth and Jorja.
Emil said, “I will live and die in Cloverdale.” The 50+ year resident loved the town of Cloverdale, California. Once there, he did not want to live anywhere else. It was his heaven on earth.
Graveside services will be held in Columbia Falls, Montana in mid-June at the Saint Richard’s Catholic Church cemetery. He wished to be placed next to his father Jerry. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to your favorite animal rescue organization.
R.I.P. Emil Gardner. I was shocked and sad learning of his passing. He was my favorite supervisor at Dresser / M-I Air Drilling for the 9 years I lived in Sonoma County worked at the Geysers. I believe he is playing a joke haunting old friends. His voice message is still on the home answering machine a year later the last time I tried to call and found he had already passed. I can see that sense of humor in him. He was a character and kept all the geothermal associates he worked with entertained. This part of my life is now in the past as well, as I am battling terminal Prostate Cancer and am retired. To any Geysers drilling people reading this, my 9 years geothermal work was the most enjoyable part of my 25+ year drilling career. I wish any remaining geothermal old-timers from the Geysers and elsewhere “Godspeed” – M. Todd Miskel: Geothermal Air Jammer Eccentric and Extraordinaire!
R.I.P. Emil Gardner. I was shocked and sad learning of his passing. He was my favorite supervisor at Dresser / M-I Air Drilling for the 9 years I lived in Sonoma County and worked at the Geysers. I believe he is playing a joke haunting old friends. His voice message is still on the home answering machine a year later the last time I tried to call and found he had already passed. I can see that sense of humor in him. He was a character and kept all the geothermal associates he worked with entertained. This part of my life is now in the past as well, as I am battling terminal Prostate Cancer and am retired. To any Geysers drilling people reading this, my 9 years geothermal work was the most enjoyable part of my 25+ year drilling career. I wish any remaining geothermal old-timers from the Geysers and elsewhere “Godspeed” – M. Todd Miskel: Geothermal Air Jammer Eccentric and Extraordinaire!