Dr. Lynn Gardner, age 79, of Carl Junction, MO, passed away on Thursday, August 23, 2018, at 4:15 pm at Freeman Hospital. He was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in 2000 and lived for 14 years after receiving a double lung transplant in 2004.

Lynn was born on March 4, 1939 in Mays, IN, the son of Wallace and Irene (Gilson) Gardner. He has lived in the Carl Junction area since 1973. He married Barbara Thompson on February 24, 1961 in Holyoke, CO. He graduated from Ozark Christian College with a Bachelor of Theology in 1961. Education was very important to Lynn. He furthered his education by earning another bachelor degree from California State University, Stanislaus, his master’s degree from Wheaton College in Wheaton, IL, and his Doctor of Education degree from the University of Arkansas. Lynn served as a minister at Shell City, MO, Severy, KS, Prairie Hill, MO, and Turlock, CA.

Lynn taught for six years at Central Christian College of the Bible, Moberly, MO. Then he taught at OCC for 34 years, seventeen of those years he was the Academic Dean. He retired from the college in 2006. Lynn has authored 10 books and several of them have been translated into Korean, Russian, Polish and Spanish. He was an avid St. Louis Cardinals fan.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara; his son, Bryce Gardner and his wife Nancy of Santee, CA; his daughter, Kara Arnce and her husband Bob of Joplin; his daughter-in-law, Cean Gardner of Carl Junction; four grandchildren, Luke and Mark Arnce and Dane and Hope Gardner; two brothers, Phillip Gardner of Versailles, MO, Keith Gardner and his wife Alice of Shelbina, MO, his brother-in-law, and Sam Stone of Mason, OH. Lynn was preceded in death by his son, Mark Gardner in 1999, his brother, Greg Gardner and his sister, Gwendolyn Stone.

Funeral service will be Monday, August 27, 2018, at 10:00 am at the Christian Church of Carl Junction. Burial will be in the Carl Junction Cemetery. The family will receive friends Sunday afternoon from 2-4 pm at the Christian Church of Carl Junction.

Memorial contributions may be given to Literature and Teaching Ministries of Joplin or Ozark Christian College in care of the Mortuary.

Arrangements are under the direction of Mason-Woodard Mortuary & Crematory.

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