Funeral service for John Mark Gardner, Jr., 67, Colona, Illinois, will be 10:00 a.m. Friday in the Bethlehem Baptist Church with Dr. W.B. Smith, Jr., Pastor, officiating. Mr. Gardner died Sunday, May 1, 2011, in Moline, Illinois. Burial with full military honors will be in the Post Cemetery, Fort Sill, under the direction of the Becker Funeral Home & Cremation Service. Mr. Gardner was born June 17, 1943 in Wiggins, Mississippi, to John M. and Essie (Simmons) Gardner. He married Joan Hale on August 31, 1981 in Las Cruces, New Mexico. Mr. Gardner served in the U.S. Air Force as well as the U.S. Army, retiring in 1985, after 24 years of military service. His awards include the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Good Conduct Medal, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Palm, Driver and Mechanic Badge, Humanitarian Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon, Noncommissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon, Army Good Conduct Medal, Sharpshooter Badge (rifle M-16) and Expert (pistol .45). Following his retirement from the military, he worked at the Lawton Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company for seven and one-half years and later served as a lay pastor until 2001. He is survived by his wife; two stepchildren, Debi (Cameron) Johnson, Brooklin Park, Minnesota, Kari (Cory) Lenz, Tomah, Wisconsin; three stepgrandchildren, Cody Lenz, Joe Lenz and Bethany Johnson; eight sisters, Isabell M. Gardner, Lawton, Oklahoma, Theresa (Odell, Jr.) Gordon, Lawton, Oklahoma, Zelma Gardner, Lawton, Oklahoma, Floscelia Johnson, Lorton, Virginia, Reba (Larry) Johnson, Olympia, Washington, Peggy Smalley, Lawton, Oklahoma, Patricia (Marvin) Williams, Richmond, Virginia, Ava M. Gardner, Kansas City, Missouri; four brothers, Millard S. Gardner, Lawton, Oklahoma, Timothy A. (Marie) Gardner, Springfield, Missouri, Winston (Pamela) Gardner, Hephzibah, Georgia, and Paul H. Gardner, Marina, California; many nieces and nephews and his beloved Douglass Alumni and a host of extended family and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, Gloria Sparrow and Elsie Hearns. Visitation will begin noon Thursday at the funeral home.