THOMASVILLE — One did not have to be a member of First Baptist Church to be ministered to by the Rev. Dr. Milton C. Gardner Jr., a longtime friend said.

Gardner, 83, and First Baptist Church pastor emeritus, died early Monday evening at his home.

Nancy Gardner said her husband of 60 years died “very peacefully.” His health had been in a gradual decline.

“He was my sweetheart. He was my soulmate. He was my friend. He was my confidante. He was my loving husband,” Mrs. Gardner said.

The Gardners have four daughters and nine surviving grandchildren.

On Tuesday, friends recalled Gardner as not only a caring person, but a matchmaker.

Wiley and Margaret Grady said the Gardners arranged their relationship long ago. Margaret Grady was organist at First Baptist Church where Gardner was pastor. Wiley Grady was a devout member of the church. The arranged relationship led to marriage.

Wiley Grady said he had known Gardner since the pastor came to First Baptist in 1969.

“He was pastor of the community,” Mr. Grady said. “You did not have to be a member of First Baptist Church for him to minister to you.”

The two were good friends and played basketball together three days a week until recent years.

“He was my pastor. I had that relationship with him,” Grady said. “He and Nancy were some of our closest friends.”

Margaret Grady has been First Baptist organist for 53 years. She and her husband watched the Gardner children grow up. Mrs. Grady recalled teaching piano to some of the Gardner children.

Darrell Allen, owner of a Thomasville funeral home, and Gardner were friends. They also shared Thomasville High School Bulldog positions: Gardner was the THS football team chaplain for years. Allen is the radio voice of the Bulldogs.

Allen considered Gardner a role model in difficult situations at funerals. Allen said he observed Gardner handle death-related situations as a pastor and how he treated people.

“He valued people,” Allen said. “He had such a presence. His being there meant so much to people.”

The Gradys saw Gardner the last time on Saturday. He had rallied, the couple said.

Rick Jordan was First Baptist minister of music and worship for 40 years. He and Gardner worked together for 30 years and were close personal friends.

“He was kind, so very kind to all people,” Jordan said.

Jordan and Gardner traveled together, and their families went on beach trips together.

“We just had a very close relationship,” Jordan recalled.

During the decades of working together and being close personal friends, the two never had an argument — something Jordan said Gardner reminded him of in recent days. 

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820