March 21, 2023, 68, Goldsboro –

Teddy Gordon Gardner died peacefully Tuesday at Kitty Askins Hospice Center after a courageous battle with cancer. A native of Wayne County, Teddy was the son of the late Gordon and Adean McKeel Gardner.

In Teddy’s early years, he could be found with his father farming in the Patetown and Saulston communities. After high school, he was employed by Standard Products for ten years where he made many lifetime friends. He later worked for auction companies in the Catawba Valley area. For the past ten years, Teddy was employed with Muscarelli Auction Company where he became a member of their family.

Teddy was a free-spirited fellow who enjoyed fishing, on the beach, going to auto races with his friends, tractor pulls, and picking. He always enjoyed sitting down with family and friends at Parker’s in Wilson and often could be found at Nahunta Pork shopping on a regular basis. One of his lasting memories will be living on Barrett Mountain in the Catawba Valley area.

A service to celebrate Teddy’s life will be held at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 26, 2023, at Free Chapel PFWB Church, 3302 Hwy. 111 North, Goldsboro, with Dwaine Coley officiating. The family will receive friends in the hour before the service in the church fellowship hall. The family requests casual attire at the service to honor Teddy.

Teddy is survived by his sisters, Judy Goodman and husband, Jerry and Patsy Gardner and husband, Hector Murillo; brother, Stewart Gardner; niece, Ginger Waller and husband, Keith and their children, Reagan and Hayden; niece, Anna-Gordon Gardner; and the love of his life, Jane Carter.

The family would like to offer special thanks to Dr. Hanna and the staff at Carolina Oncology Specialists of Hickory, Catawba Valley Medical Center, and Kitty Askins Hospice Center. A very special heartfelt thanks to Teddy’s guiding light throughout his journey, his special friend, Dwaine Coley.

In lieu of flowers, the family request memorials be made in Teddy’s memory to