Dayne Gillies Gardner was born on November 9, 1938, in Cedar City, Utah, to Kumen Snow Gardner and Naida Gillies Gardner. He was the oldest surviving son in a family of six children. After Dayne, his siblings Eric, Paul, Sheila, and Neil joined the family.
Dayne spent his early years in Newcastle, Utah, before moving “into town” to Cedar City when he began kindergarten. He spent the remainder of his childhood there, forming lifelong friendships and memories. As a boy, he was proudly part of the “Westfield Gang,” a spirited group of neighborhood boys who were, in many ways, Cedar City’s version of the Little Rascals. From a young age, Dayne carried significant responsibility. He spent countless hours alongside his father at the family ranch in Grass Valley, where he learned the value of hard work, perseverance, and commitment. Those early experiences shaped the strong work ethic and steady character that would define him throughout his life.
During his years at Cedar City High School, Dayne excelled both academically and athletically. He participated in marching band and dance band, played football, ran track, and wrestled. Later he ran the Marine Corps marathon twice. His determination led him to become a state champion in both track and wrestling. He ran for student body president but was narrowly defeated by his future wife, Elizabeth, and her running mate — a fact he always credited entirely to Elizabeth. Dayne graduated as class valedictorian and earned a full scholarship to the University of Utah through the ROTC program, where he majored in Chemistry.
Dayne met Elizabeth in kindergarten, beginning a lifelong friendship that blossomed into love during their high school years. Though they attended different colleges, their relationship endured. Following their graduations, Dayne and Elizabeth were married in the St. George Utah Temple on September 7, 1961.
Soon after their marriage, they moved to Virginia, beginning what would become a long and distinguished 30-year military career. Dayne attended Officer Candidate School in Quantico, Virginia, where he graduated as the Honor Platoon Graduate. His service took the family to Washington, D.C.; Hawaii; Monterey, California; Atlanta, Georgia; Newport, Rhode Island; and Camp Pendleton, California.
Their first child, Jeffrey, was born November 17, 1962, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Their daughter Suzanne was born February 22, 1966, in Monterey, California. Their youngest child, David, was born September 14, 1967, in Bethesda, Maryland. From 1970 to 1971, Dayne served a year in Vietnam. During that time, Elizabeth and the children returned to Cedar City, living next door to her parents, where they found comfort and support while he was abroad.
In addition to his military service, Dayne was deeply devoted to his faith and served faithfully in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Over the years, he served twice as bishop, twice as counselor in the stake presidency, and as Stake President in Vista, California. He also
served as chair of the Temple Dedication Committee for the San Diego Temple and as a temple sealer in San Diego, St. George, and Cedar City. His leadership was marked by compassion, integrity, and unwavering dedication.
In 2013, Dayne and Elizabeth returned home to Cedar City. They were thrilled to once again live near the Red Hill and Cedar Mountain — landscapes that had shaped his youth and remained dear to his heart.
He passed away of complications related to age in Provo, Utah on February 10, 2026 with his wife nearby. He is survived by his wife Elizabeth, his brothers Eric and Paul, his children Jeffrey (Angela), Suzanne, and David (Sarajane), his grandchildren, Lucas, Sarah, Annie, Danielle, Rachel, Brittany, Brian, and Kelly, and his great grandchildren Emmett, Claire, Jack, Noah, August, Ruby, Isabelle, and Molly. He was a huge presence in the lives of his family members demonstrating Christlike attributes in all he said and did and will be greatly missed.
A funeral service honoring Dayne Gardner will be held on Thursday, February 19, 2026 at 1 pm at the Cedarview Ward Chapel (1925 West 320 South Cedar City, UT). A viewing will be held prior from 11 am to 12:30 pm. Interment will be at the Cedar City Cemetery under the direction of Southern Utah Mortuary. To view the livestream of the service and share online condolences, please visit www.mortuary.org.