It is with great sorrow that we report the death of Dr. Howard Garry Gardner, a highly valued member of the Pediatric News Editorial Advisory Board. We will very much miss his contributions, wisdom, and advice.
Dr. Suzanne Boulter, adjunct professor of pediatrics and community and family medicine at Dartmouth Medical School in Hanover, N.H., said, "Dr. Gardner and I served on the Pediatric News editorial board together for decades. Although we had different advocacy areas within pediatrics, I always looked forward to hearing his insightful comments regarding important child health topics. He was a modest giant in his field who championed child safety by donating tremendous time and effort writing policy and leading other advocates with his selfless volunteer efforts to promote safety for all children. He will be sorely missed."
Dr. Howard Garry Gardner
One of the founding partners of DuPage Pediatrics in Darien, Ill., where he practiced for 40 years, Dr. Gardner was professor of clinical pediatrics at both Northwestern University and Loyola University. He served in the Navy and Marines in Vietnam from 1969 to 1971.
"It was always a good day when Dr. Gardner was in the office. He was an office leader, a friend, and a mentor," said Dr. Thomas Lynch, a partner at DuPage. "He had a special way about him, an uncanny ability to bring people together," and he could mediate any difficulty.
Dr. Gardner had "boundless energy and a great sense of humor," Dr. Lynch said, and he had a special interest in children with special needs, and these patients came from far away. The pediatricians in their home towns may not have had time for them, but Dr. Gardner always had the time. And on his day off, he often travelled down to Springfield to testify on children’s safety issues, or he might fly to Washington to testify. But the next day he would be back at work taking care of patients. "He had a passion for the children he served," said Dr. Lynch. He was "so giving of his time."
President of the Illinois chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Dr. Gardner also served as chairman of the national AAP Council on Injury, Violence and Poison Prevention; as president and founding board member of the Illinois Maternal and Child Health Coalition; and as state coordinator of the Every Ride–Safe Ride program (children’s seat belt law). He was involved in developing a number of AAP policy statements and advocating for children’s safety on issues such as teen driving, seat belts, firearms, and car safety seats. He was the original founding member of the Loyola Ronald McDonald House. Dr. Gardner was also on the governor’s task force on occupant protection and the secretary of state’s Traffic Safety Advisory Council on Traffic Safety.
He was named Pediatrician of the Year by the Illinois AAP Chapter in 1986 and received numerous other awards, including the Crystal Heart Award from Easter Seals DuPage, the Pathways Pioneer Award for his commitment to assuring the best for all infants’ physical development, and the Dean’s Award for Teaching Excellence from Northwestern University.
In his memory, Dr. Gardner will be receiving the Fellow of the Year Award from the American Academy of Pediatrics' Council on Injury, Violence, and Poison Prevention, at the AAP national meeting on Monday, Oct. 28, 2013.
Dr. M. Susan Jay, a fellow Pediatric News board member and professor of pediatrics at the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, said, "Gary was a true gentleman and caring physician. His energy and enthusiasm galvanized a host of young physicians in training who were fortunate to work with him. He was a source of comfort to a generation of mothers and fathers in the western suburbs of Chicago by providing comfort, reassurance, and superb pediatric care. My sister, who was a young mother in his practice, recalled that Dr. Gardner ‘never rushed his patients, answered all questions thoroughly, and made parents feel secure that all was being done for her girls and the other children in his practice.’
"Moreover, he tirelessly participated in community organizations such as the March of Dimes. Dr. Gardner was the model of a community physician who connected with academia and his peers through venues such as Pediatric News. Once, when I asked how he seemingly juggled the roles of pediatrician, parent, and professional society member, he shrugged and said it made life interesting. He was an outstanding human being and will be missed."
–Catherine Cooper Nellist, Managing Editor
*Updated 6/7/2013