Robert “Bob” Gardner, 71, of Port Wing, Wisconsin, and formerly of Hammond/Baldwin, died August 24, 2005, following a courageous battle with cancer.
Bob was born on August 8, 1934, in West Chicago, Illinois, and attended school in Sumner, Wisconsin. Following this, he enlisted in the United States Air Force.
On October 12, 1957, he married Barbara Butler. He worked for Zillmann Chevrolet in Baldwin for many years before working for Deiss (Baldwin) Motors and then Martini Pontiac. During these years, he also farmed when he wasn’t at “work” He and Barb founded Central St. Croix News in Hammond in 1973. ‘They published the newspaper until 1998 when they sold the paper.
“Bob and I started the newspaper on a shoestring and with no experience, so it was a ‘live and learn’ type of existence for many years,” recalled his wife. Eleven years ago, they started another newspaper business — the Connection in Port Wing which the family owns and operates to this day.
When Bob wasn’t working, he loved tinkering with his or his kids’ cars. He also enjoyed fishing with his grandchildren and an occasional deer hut. Bob was an unselfish man who never complained and was always thinking of others and was the first to offer his help.
