Frank Raymond Gardner of Staples, a long time Staples pharmacist, died Sept. 14 in Baudette.

Funeral services are 11 a.m. Friday, Sept. 18 at Faith Lutheran Church in Staples. Burial is in the Evergreen Hill Cemetery in Staples. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. on Thursday, Sept. 17, at Brenny Funeral Chapel in Staples, and one hour prior to services at the church.

Arrangements are with Brenny Funeral Home of Staples.

Frank was born Sept. 22, 1930 in Nevada, Iowa to Glen and Nellie (Moorehead) Gardner. As a child he moved with the family to the farm at Pine River. He was a 1948 graduate of Pine River High School. He entered the U.S. Army in 1951, serving his country in Japan. He was honorably discharged in 1954 with the rank of Staff Sergeant.

He married Loretta Kline on July 30, 1955 in Pine River. They moved to Fargo, where Frank attended the School of Pharmacy at North Dakota State University, graduating in 1959. Shortly after, the family moved to Morris, where Frank worked at Johnson Rexall Drug. In 1968, he purchased Staples Rexall Drug store in Staples, which he and Loretta operated until they retired in 2001.

Frank enjoyed the outdoors and loved to hunt, fish and spend time at the cabin on Lake of the Woods. He also enjoyed gardening, woodworking, feeding birds and doing odd jobs around the house.

He was a private pilot for many years and flew out of the Staples airport, and attained his instrument rating. He was a Life Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the American Legion and Faith Lutheran Church in Staples.

Frank is survived by his wife, one son, Steven (Kelly) of Willmar; one daughter, Sharon (Rodney) Haug of Hawley; three grandsons, one granddaughter and two great-grandsons.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one sister, Arlene, one brother, Maynard, and one son, Scott.

A00006B2009SP17