Robert Barrows Gardiner

August 29, 1935 – November 27, 2012

Robert Barrows Gardiner, Jr., 77, of Sun City Center, FL, died peacefully on November 27, 2012 at LifePath Hospice with his devoted wife, Jacqueline (Lynn), and his Border Collie dog, Charles, by his side. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Barrows Gardiner and Dorothy (Jenner) Gardiner (Storrs, CT) and sister Dorothy Lackman (Ashford, CT).
Bob was born on August 29, 1935 in Willimantic, CT and raised in Storrs, CT on Maple View Farm. As a young man, he worked on the family farm delivering milk in the early morning hours before school. He often regaled the family with funny stories of the many interesting characters who found their way to the farm seeking employment during the Depression Years. He was captain of the football team, wearing number 32 as center at Windham High School. There he met his first wife, Dianna Volle. They married shortly after graduation in 1952, and together raised four children in Storrs, CT.  Bob operated the 300-acre family dairy farm from 1953-1967.  He earned a B.A. in history from the University of Connecticut in 1971, and attended Western New England School of Law for two years. He obtained a CT real estate broker’s license in 1967. He then pursued, as his passion, a 45-year career in real estate. He opened his first real estate agency on High Street in Willimantic, CT in 1972. He moved to Florida in 1982, and expanded his real estate activities in 1983 by opening an office in downtown Tampa for Gardiner Appraisal Services, Inc. He was a Florida State Certified Residential Appraiser from 1990–2004. He appraised over 8,000 homes, condos, apartments, and land, many in the Greater Tampa Bay Area, during his 30 years of appraising in both CT and FL. He held both CT and FL real estate broker licenses for many years. Bob’s second wife, Lorraine Prevost, was his partner in life and in real estate for 21 years; she predeceased him in 1997. He was Broker-Owner of RE/MAX First Realty located in the South Shore area of Hillsborough County from 1992 to1996.
Bob’s love of selling homes was evident throughout this life. He said he especially liked to work with homebuyers because he felt he had a special ability to know exactly what homebuyers wanted after talking with them. Selling homes made him happy.  He was continually striving to provide the best representation possible to all his customers.
At the time of his death, he was proudly associated with the Flo Vachon Team at Keller Williams Realty South Shore in Sun City Center, FL.
He married his beloved wife, Jacqueline (Lynn) in 1998, with whom he shared a deep love of animals and literature. Together they traveled to national parks and other beautiful regions of the country, creating many treasured memories. Bob loved watching sporting events on television and reading about the events and personalities of World War II.
Bob was an avid sports fan — especially of the UCONN Huskies and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — and never missed a Bucs game. He was also a passionate soccer fan, serving as a college soccer referee for the University of Connecticut and other schools throughout New England during the 1970s. He was business manager and part-owner, with good friend Paul Ingram, of the Connecticut Wildcats, the first major league Pro-Soccer team in the state from 1971 to 1973.
Bob acquired a private pilot’s license during the 1970s, and he often said flying was the “most fun” thing he ever did.
He received an award as Rotarian of the Year 2001-2003 from Rotary International - the South Shore Rotary Club.
He was a man of deep religious faith whose membership with the Ruskin United Methodist Church in Ruskin, FL., and the First Baptist Church of Mansfield in Storrs, CT brought many kind people, warm memories and spiritual comfort to his life.
Bob was also a member of the choir at Ruskin United Methodist Church.
He is survived by his loving wife Jacqueline (Lynn) of 14 years, his 4 children and their spouses: Robin and David Gooch of Coventry, CT, Bill and Beth Gardiner of Gilroy, CA, Andy and Kris Gardiner of Storrs, CT, Catherine and Charlie Fenech of San Francisco, CA; his sister Shirley Corcoran of Mansfield Center, CT; his sisters-in law Stephanie Coppola of Wyckoff, NJ and Victoria Spain of Sun City Center, FL; plus 10 grandchildren, three great-grandchildren, many cousins, nieces and nephews.
His children would like to express special thanks to his wife, Jacqueline (Lynn), for her unwavering devotion — especially in his last weeks — and also for the remarkable care and comfort provided by Flo and Tim Vachon, Reverends Richard Nussel, Hal Jeffery and David Looney of Ruskin United Methodist Church, and the dedicated professionals at South Bay and Brandon Regional Hospital and the Sun City Center LifePath Hospice House.
After cremation, internment will be in the family plot at Spring Hill Cemetery in Mansfield, CT. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you remember Bob by making a donation to the Ruskin United Methodist Church, P.O. Box 745, Ruskin, FL, or the First Baptist Church of Mansfield, 945 Storrs Rd., Storrs, CT 06268.
A memorial service will be held on December 18th at 11 a.m. at the Ruskin United Methodist Church in Ruskin, FL.