Benjamin Norfleet Gardner

Coats, NC: Mr. Benjamin “Norfleet” Gardner, age 91, of Coats passed away on Saturday, June 7, 2025. Private Services will be held with a public Memorial Service to be announced at a later date.

Mr. Gardner was born on June 12, 1933 in Harnett County to the late Turner Al and Retha Smith Gardner. Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by his sisters, Virginia Gardner and Retha Elmore. After graduating from Lafayette High School in Kipling, NC in 1952 he went on to complete the Junor College Education program from Campbell University and then achieved his B.A. Degree in Social Studies and Education from Wake Forest University in 1956. Mr. Gardner was the Director and Chief Consultant of the North Carolina Public School Transportation Program with the Department of Public Instruction from 1973 until his retirement in July of 1995. Prior to that he worked as Supervisor of the Driver Education and Traffic Safety Program for the Harnett County Schools and was also a public-school teacher, driver’s education instructor, and coach at Coats High School from 1956 until 1970. One month prior to retirement he was received the prestigious honor of “The Order of the Long Leaf Pine” presented to him by Governor James B. Hunt, Jr. on June 19, 1995. Mr. Gardner was incredibly active in the Kiwanis Club serving in leadership roles in the local and state levels. He was a founding member of the Coats Fire Department where he served for over 15 years as a volunteer fireman, 5 of those years he served as Fire Chief with the Coats-Grove Fire Department and served on the Coats-Grove Rural Fire Department Board of Directors. He was also a devoted member of Coats Baptist Church serving as a teacher and deacon and was also involved in missionary work abroad in Qionglai, China where he taught school. He loved to travel making several trips to Israel and visited every state in the United States through his career. Though he was involved with his community and church, his main priority was being a faithful husband and loving father and grandfather. He will be missed by all who knew and loved him.

Surviving is his wife of 66 years, Barbara Gardner; children, Kimry Hugh Gardner and Shari Gardner Howard and husband, Andy; grandchildren, Chris Gardner, Drew Howard and wife, Katie, and Holly Anderson and husband, Brett; great grandchildren, Torin Howard, Maggie Howard, and Nash Anderson; sister, Gaynelle Holder; brother, Alfred Gardner; and many nieces and nephews.

In lieu of flowers, Memorials may be made to the Coats Baptist Church Senior Group at 554 N McKinley St, Coats, NC 27521.

Arrangements by Rose & Graham Funeral Home in Coats.