Roll Call Tribute

James Edwin "Jim" Gardner, Jr. 

August 16, 1924 - October 24, 2024 

James “Jim” Edwin Gardner, Jr. of Dallas, Texas passed away peacefully on October 24th, 2024 at 100 years of age. Jim was born an only child on August 16th, 1924 in Walnut Springs, Texas to James Edwin Gardner, Sr. and Sula Rebecca Gardner.

Jim is survived by his sons Wayde Gardner and spouse Linda Gardner of Ponder, Texas, Jay Gardner and spouse Sandy Gardner of Keller, Texas and his daughter Jana Koch and spouse John Koch of Kingwood, Texas. Jim leaves behind six grandchildren, Kevin Gardner, Kaitlin (Gardner) Martinez, Miranda Gardner, Barrett Gardner, Emma (Koch) Rodriguez and Audra (Koch) Pederson along with two great-grandchildren, Karu Martinez and Freya Gardner.

Raised primarily in West Texas, Jim established a passion for golf from an early age, playing with his father and carried that passion until very late in life. Jim enjoyed participating in company reunions and golf tournaments with his former employer, Sears Roebuck and Co. into his early 90s. An early member of Brookhaven Country Club, Jim continued to enjoy his life-long passion for golf, winning numerous local club tournaments and teaching his children the game.

Nicknamed “Cookie” at Forsan High School, Jim first attended John Tarleton Agricultural College (Tarleton State) where he was active in basketball, the Silver Keys choir and the school newspaper The Grassburr. He then attended Texas A&M University where he graduated with a B.S. in accounting. Jim was a 2-year letterman on the Texas A&M golf team. His college years were interrupted by the outbreak of World War II where he served as a US Army 1st Lieutenant in the China-Burma Theater, helping to supply materials to build the famous Ledo Road before returning to A&M and finishing his education. Like many of that time Jim was to graduate in 1945 but his time in the Army delayed that graduation until 1947 where Jim began a 35-year career with Sears Roebuck and Co.

After college, Jim was introduced to a beautiful young fashion buyer, Jane Hardwick, and on September 9, 1950 they became husband and wife marrying at the Wesley Methodist Church in Dallas and then moving to Santa Fe, New Mexico where their first son, Wynn was born. The couple soon moved to Austin for Jim’s work but eventually settled in Dallas in 1956 where they raised their family. After retirement from Sears, he and Jane opened Homteriors in 1982. Homteriors was one of the first retail furniture and design galleries in Dallas at what was then Sakowitz Village on Dallas Parkway at Beltline Rd.

Jim is preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Jane, and his son, James Edwin “Wynn” Gardner, III. Donations to St Jude hospital can be made in lieu of flowers.