GARDNER, Dr. Arthur Leslie "Les"

GARDNER, WALLACE, TRULEY

Posted By: Sharon R Becker (email)
Date: 1/14/2016 at 09:29:08

Biography ~ Arthur Leslie "Les" Gardner
Graceland University, Lamoni, Iowa

Arthur Leslie "Les" Garnder was bonr in Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, on August 24, 1929. He enrolled at Graceland in 1950, expecting to eventually return to his native Australia to teach. After graduating in 1952, he immediately went to work as an RLDS Church appointee, serving in Ontario Canada, New Zealand and Korea until 1965.

Les Gardner and Ava Ann Wallace met as students at Graceland College (present-day Graceland University). They were married after Ava graduated from Graceland on May 28, 1954, at the Lamoni Community of Christ Church. Ava had received her A.A. degree and certification as a Registered Nurse.

The Gardners resided in Guelph, Ontario, where he was serving as a minister for the Community of Christ and Ava joined the staff of Guelph General Hospital. Subsequently she and Les served together as a ministerial team in New Zealand (1956-1960); Independence, Missouri (1960-1961); and South Korea (1961-1966).

Believing that he needed to expand hi seducation in order to facilitate his teaching of young people, the couple relocated to Honolulu, Hawaii in 1966. Ava was employed at Kaiser Permanente Hospital on Waikiki Beach, while Les earned his B. A. in Asian studies in 1967, his M. A. in history in 1969 (the same year as he became a U.S. citizen), and his Ph. D. degree in 1979, all at the University of Hawaii.

In 1973 the family moved to Lamoni where Les had joined the Graceland College faculty as a history professor and director of Asian studies. Ava began employment at Decatur County Hospital that same fall.

Students knew Dr. Gardner for such classes as World Civilization, Historical Inquiry, Intercultural Communications, and Hawaiian winter terms. Dr. Gardner served as director of Graceland's Intercultural Affairs from 1976 to 1991, and held the role of acting dean of faculty in 1982-83. He was instrumental in setting up the student exchange program between Graceland and Eotvos University in Budapest, Hungary (initiated in 1985-86), and Bulgaria (initiated in 1989-90). Dr. Gardner was also the first Graceland faculty member to participate in both exchanges.

Ava retired in 1993; Les retired in 1996 as professor emeritus, the same year he was ordained an evangelist in the RLDS Church. In retirement the Gardners traveled widely in all parts of the world, especially enjoying their frequent visits to his homeland, Australia.

Ava and Les were the parents of three children: Bronwyn Leslie born in Guelph, Ontario, in 1956, Brenda Joan, born in New Zealand in 1957, and Richard Leslie, born in Independence, Missouri, in 1960.

Ava was born on October 15, 1932, on the family farm near Bald Knob, Arkansas, the daughter of Alfonson "Fon" Marion and Ara Leonora (Turley) Wallace. She died at the age of 81 on November 17, 2013, Lamoni, Iowa, and was interrred at Rose Hill Cemetery, Lamoni, Iowa.

Les served as treasurer for Crown Colony Housing Authority, Lamoni, Iowa, where Ava resided prior to her death.

SOURCES:
Goehner, David. “The Graceland College Book of Knowledge: From A To Z.” Pp. 406-07. Herald House. Independence MO. 1997.

Ava Ann (Wallace) Gardner obituary

Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, January of 2016

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