Conrad Earl Gardner

Conrad Earl Gardner passed away peacefully on October 30, 2017. He was born the youngest of four sons of James and Nina Gardner at St. Louis, Missouri on February 16, 1938. Growing up in Arkansas City, Kansas, Conrad was a gifted student who while working as a swimming pool lifeguard saved a teenager’s life from drowning. He graduated from Ark City’s High School in 1956 where he was a two-way player in football, earning a scholarship to Dartmouth College in New Hampshire. Paying his way through college as a brakeman on the Santa Fe Railroad, Gardner majored in English and was a disc jockey on WDCR radio where he anchored the Nightwatch midnight romantic music program. He was also a photographer for The Aegis, Dartmouth’s yearbook, photographing many subjects from sports to campus events to visiting luminaries such as poet Robert Frost. After graduating Dartmouth in 1960 Gardner went to law school at Stanford University, earning a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) degree, now recognized as Juris Doctorate, in 1963. He was admitted to the California Bar in 1964 and to the Colorado Bar in 1965, and among the lawyers he interviewed with was David Gorsuch, father of the future Supreme Court Justice. Gardner joined the Golden law firm of Fleming & Pattridge, becoming a partner by the time it moved into its longtime location of 1200 Arapahoe Street in 1967 where he planted its trees that grow today. "That year Conrad Gardner was also admitted to the Bar of the United States Supreme Court." Gardner also served in the Army and Colorado National Guard, where he was quickly assigned to the Judge Advocate General’s office to create new court martial guidelines after a string of dismissals due to technicalities. He was honorably discharged attaining the rank of Captain. Joining the Golden Jaycees, Gardner among many other activities presided over the placement, installation and time capsule installment of Golden’s Liberty Bell in front of City Hall in 1968. That year Gardner also served as Golden Municipal Judge. On June 22, 1968 he married Golden music teacher and organist Ingrid Norquest, with whom he would have two children, Heather and Richard. At this time Gardner was active in politics, becoming chairman of the Jefferson County Young Republicans successfully fighting the threatened takeover of the party by the John Birch Society, and was voted Outstanding Young Republican. Resuming practice as an attorney Gardner successfully defended one of the contractors involved in the construction of the prospective Golden Post Office at 17 th and Jackson Streets after the building’s fatal collapse on September 4, 1969. He proved that the firm was not responsible for the faulty construction created by others. In 1975 Gardner and his family moved to their lifelong home at 5095 Pine Ridge Drive which Gardner designed himself, having earlier gained experience designing his parents home in Arkansas City. There he spent his life adding a great many to its wild grove of trees, creating a small forest that is now officially certified wildlife habitat. Conrad Gardner served as a member of the Jefferson County Library Board for 19 years from 1969 to 1988. During this time while as chairman the library was challenged in 1981 when the FBI demanded the checkout records of John Hinckley Jr., attempted assassin of President Ronald Reagan. This test of the balance between library confidentiality and national security resulted in the FBI’s obtaining the records by court order rather than by demand. While serving upon the board Gardner helped oversee the establishment and construction of new libraries including Villa, Evergreen and Columbine, while later being instrumental in the building exchange creating the present home of Golden Library. In 1985 Gardner began his individual legal practice as Conrad E. Gardner P.C., moving into the historic Quaintance Block in 1990 where he supervised its restoration enabling it to become Golden’s first storefront listed on the National Historic Register in 1994. Its companion Piggly Wiggly building next door was also restored under his supervision and given historic designation in 2017. Becoming an active advocate of historic preservation, Gardner joined the board of the Golden Landmarks Association and served as President from 1995-1998, being instrumental in saving the Burgess House hotel and Brickyard House from destruction, helping supervise the relocation and reassembly of the Pearce and Reynolds Cabins and Guy Hill School to Clear Creek History Park, helping spearhead continued preservation efforts of the Pullman House stage stop, and many other endeavors for which he has been recognized as a Living Landmark by the organization. In 2015 Conrad Gardner was recognized by the Colorado Bar Association for 50 years of service, and at the time of his passing was very possibly the longest serving attorney in Golden’s history. Conrad is remembered by many for his desire to help others, many times at no charge, serving the community, his talent for negotiating, for his thoroughness and integrity, and for his engaging, humorous and optimistic personality, and his love of photography, music, sports and more. Conrad Gardner was a longtime member of Faith Lutheran Church in Golden and is survived by his brother Ronald of Arvada, wife Ingrid and children Heather and Richard of Golden, and numerous beloved nieces, nephews and relatives. His legacy lives on through the trees he planted, the places he built, and the landmarks he saved.