Announcement from CJ Farmers Market

Memorial Service for John Lovel Gardiner

was held on Sunday Aug 4th 2024

at CJFarmers Market Site in Kerby (24100 Redwood Highway) 

A Memorial Celebration of John’s life was held at the CJ Farmers Market site on August 4th 2024.  All were welcomed to attend this outdoor event, where we shared in a community potluck and lamb roast, while sharing memories of John L Gardiner. 

During the event, community members were invited to bring water from each home watershed, to share in a community Water Blessing.  John was truly a Water Protector all the years of his life.  He devoted his career in civil engineering to “protecting the Water Environment” as he called it, with every decision that affects the land and the people.  He was inspired to meet Takelma Elder Grandma Aggie, Agnes Baker Pilgrim, who taught us all to always bless all the water in our lives.

He met Christine in 1990 at a conference on urban river restoration.  They fell in love with each other and with restoring river functions to more natural conditions.  They married in 1996, and moved to Oregon in 1998.  Together they consulted widely on river and wetland restoration in Oregon and California 1998-2019.  Their international expertise includes river bank stabilization using local willows and rocks.  John received an international award for his work on the lower Russian River near Guerneville; successfully stabilizing a huge failing slope above the river with willow, rock and human labor, while improving fish habitat and water quality.

John and Christine started an alpaca farm in 2000 in Sandy Oregon.  They brought their alpaca herd to a farm in Cave Junction in 2006-07.  Their demonstration farm proved that modern Americans can recreate the foundation of a local economy with alpaca providing food, fiber and medicine, using only traditional practices; no poisons needed.

John served on the City Council 2012-2016, and on many non-profit boards including Cave Junction Farmers Market, IV Chamber of Commerce, IV Wellness Resources, Rusk Ranch Nature Center, CJ Homeless Alliance, IV Soil and Water Conservation District, the IV Sierra Club and Water League.

His humor, kindness and unending compassion are dearly missed.