Rev. Ernest Junior Gardner

Rev. Ernest Junior Gardner, 79, born June 7, 1945 passed away on August 16, 2024 after battling dementia for 2 years. Junior worked for more than 30 years for the City of Maryville in the public works department. He founded Sanitation Santa to help underprivileged families during Christmas. Junior over the years Pastored Maryville Baptist Tabernacle, Woodlawn Baptist, and Bell Avenue Baptist Church. He also Evangelized God’s ministry in East Tennessee, Middle Tennessee, and North Georgia. He enjoyed singing the Gospel and sung in several singing groups.

Junior was preceded in death by wife Linda Gardner, parents Cecil and Irene Gardner, two brothers James and Eugene Gardner and three sisters Louise Clevenger, Ruby Henry, and Barbara McLemore. He is survived by brother Claude Gardner and wife Jan Gardner, daughter Katrina “Tina” Gardner, son Dewayne Gardner and wife Nikki Gardner, grandchildren Kevin Hagy, Amber Hagy, Mariah Judd, Seairra Judd, Breanna Gardner and Zachary Gardner, great grandchildren, Layton Hagy and Maci Hagy.

Funeral service at McCammon-Ammons-Click Funeral Home on August 21, 2024 with a viewing 12:00-1:30pm and graveside service at 2:00pm at Zion Chapel Cemetery, Louisville Tennessee with Rev Delbert Raines officiating.