SSgt Earl E. Gardner, 87, USAF (Ret), Austin, TX, 23 May 22

[markwells]

Confirmed mission: The Patriot Guard Riders have been invited to participate in the funeral and interment services for Retired SSgt Earl Edward Gardner. SSgt Gardner served in the US Air Force for 23 years, 1954 – 1977.

More about his life can be read here: https://memorials.harrellfuneralhomes.com/earl-gardner

Date/Time: Monday, 23 May 2022. Funeral service begins at 11 am

Location: Harrell Funeral Home, 4435 Frontier Trail, Austin 78745. We will stage at the funeral home.
map link: https://goo.gl/maps/c1ZWredyMMsUicSh8

Timeline:
10:00 – 10:20 am – Staging
10:20 am – Briefing
10:30 am – Flag line

Wx: High 89F.  Cloudy in the morning with scattered thunderstorms developing later in the day.  Chance of rain 40%.

Notes: Bring water for yourself and for a friend.  Be advised a visitation takes place prior to the funeral.  Friends and family will be arriving during our staging period.  Following the service the PGR has been invited to join the LEO escorted procession to Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery for a 2 pm interment service.  Centex PGR will attend at the cemetery.

Ride Captain: Jim Callison, hotp2t@yahoo.com, (907) 321-3854
Flag Wrangler: Nicki Campbell

Please attend to show honor and gratitude for this airman’s long service to our nation.

[hotp2t]

We had four AUS/PGR standing tall in South Austin today to honor SSgt Earl Gardner, USAF (Ret) and I thank Nikki, Keith, and Dave for taking time out of your day to be there. Even though we were a small group, we made a lasting impression on Earl’s arriving family and friends. His family thanked us all personally and his son’s shook each of our hands in gratitude. I’m sure Dave will agree with me on this, as we both did the escort ride up to CTSVC…I’d also like to say a big thank you and give a big atta-boy y’all to the three LEO escorts who turned what could have been a scary white-knuckle experience riding from S. Austin to CTSVC in Killeen with us two, plus a motorcade of 25+ family vehicles, into a flawless choreography of safety and order in the usual mayhem of heavy traffic between here and there…my hat is off to you guys!

Rest in Peace and Godspeed SSgt Gardner and thank you for your years of service to our country.

Jimmy Callison
AUS/PGR RC

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