Ivan Gardiner

  Noted events in his life were:

• source. Bettina Santos @ genes who writes:
He was the son of Harry & Daisy Gardiner of 'Birdsgrove', Gardiners Creek Antiene. Ivan was the eldest of six boys and only his brothers Reg and Arthur survive him. He was born in Muswellbrook on 30th September 1913 (died 16th March 2000, 86 years). His early years of schooling were spent in the Warrah Creek/Willowtree area. Ivan leaves his ever loving wife Ruby, and four children, Don from Scone; Trevor from Singleton; Bettina from Westmead and Jennifer from Caloundra Qld. There are also twelve grandchildren and six great grandchildren all surviving him. Ivan and Ruby married at All Saints Singleton on 4th November 1936 (63 years ago). When they were first married thay had a dairy farm 'Wattibah' at Antiene and it was there that they started their family and the first three children came along. Ivan's mother died in 1934 and in 1951 he took his wife Ruby and young family to live with his father Harry to care for him and help him manage the property 'Birdsgrove' at Gardiners Creek, Antiene and their fouth child was born. They remained at 'Birdsgrove' grazing sheep and cattle until 1966 when the Electricity Commission bought the property to establish Liddle Power Station. The old homestead site and paddocks are now underwater at Lake Liddell. While farming at Antiene, Ivan was a member of VDC during the war years. He was an active member of Muswellbrook Rifle Club, and played cricket in the Antiene/Grass Tree club. Ivan helped with the starting up of a school bus from Liddell and Muscle Creek into Muswellbrook. He helped to establish the South Muswellbrook Public School and was president of that schools P & C and was also an active member of the Muswellbrook High School P & C. He had been captain of the Antiene Bush Fire Brigade and very active with that group in the prevention of country fires. He was a regular attendee of the Cattle Sales in Singleton. Ivan enjoyed tennis and a court was established on 'Birdsgrove' and many a weekend you would find a tennis party going on. He also enjoyed cards and the neighbours and friends would often get together for a social evening's enjoyment. After the sale of 'Birdsgrove" Ivan & Ruby and their younger daughter and his father moved to Aberdeen where he purchased a small farm on the highway and continued to have milking cows and grow corn. Ivan would also go across the road to the Lee & Rowena's market garden at Aberdeen and help them with weeding and mechanical repairs. While living in the Aberdeen area Ivan and Ruby attended the Anglican Church and Ivan was a member of the Parochial Council, one of his last jobs was to paint the Aberdeen church. It was at the Aberdeen house on 29th May 1967 that his father passed away in his sleep. For may years Ivan took his young family for holidays to Hat Head near Kempsey, and eventually purchased an old school house there and converted it into a beach side holiday home which they had for over forty years and only sold recently. It was just after Ivan sold the Aberdeen farmlett and he and Ruby retired to the Hat Head house that had his stroke and the plan to enjoy his much loved hobby of fishing was cut short. Finding that Hat Head was not suitable after the stroke they purchased a house in Sea Street Kempsey where they lived for a number of years. In June 1998 (21 months ago) it was necessary for Ivan to go into full nursing care and the home in Kempsey was sold and he came to Mercy Rest Nursing Home in Singleton. Ivan made many life time friends in Muswellbrook, Aberdeen and Kempsey areas, and has been supported throughout by his loving and faithful wife Ruby.

Ivan married Eleanor Ruby Cousins, daughter of Arthur John Cousins and Sophia Jane Richardson, on 4 Nov 1936 in All Saints, Singleton, NSW Australia. (Eleanor Ruby Cousins was born on 2 Sep 1911 in Whittingham, near Singleton, NSW Australia.)