Charles X. Gardner, 83, of Grove City, formerly of Coaltown and Oklahoma, passed away at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday at Butler Memorial Hospital following an extended illness.

He was born Jan. 10, 1926, in Cherry Township.

He was the son of the late Lawrence John Gardner and Mary Ada Hockenberry Gardner.

He was a veteran of the U.S. Army Infantry during World War II, serving in the European theater.

He retired from Pullman Standard and also had been employed at Cooper Bessemer and various strip mines.

He was an active member of the Grove City Church of the Nazarene and was a former member of the Coaltown Church of the Nazarene.

He enjoyed gardening and woodworking.

He is survived by his wife, Audrey Smith Gardner, who he married April 5, 1947; two daughters, Mrs. Robert (Linda) Stewart of Owasso, Okla., and Mrs. Terry (Connie) Kellar of Clintonville; a son, Richard C. Gardner of Oklahoma City, Okla.; three grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Rachel Young of Butler; and a brother, Lawrence John Gardner of Hilliards.

He was preceded in death by two sisters and a brother.

<B>GARDNER</B> — Friends of Charles X. Gardner, who died Wednesday, July 15, 2009, will be received from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday at the <B>William F. Young Funeral Home</B>, 132 Main St., West Sunbury. Friends also will be received from 10 a.m. until the 11 a.m. funeral service Tuesday at the Grove City Church of the Nazarene. The Rev. Mark Erskine, his pastor, will officiate. Burial will be in the West Sunbury Union Cemetery.In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Grove City Church of the Nazarene, 520 N. Center St., Grove City, PA 16127.