Brian David Gardner

Always eager to embark on an adventure, Brian David Gardner, 44, set off on his final journey on Thursday, May 18th after battling several health issues. He was born on December 8, 1972, in Fort Polk, Louisiana. With a father in the military, Brian's love of travel began at an early age, when his family was stationed overseas and he experienced the sites, people, and art in Germany, England, France, Spain, and other European countries. Over his lifetime, he sought out numerous travel experiences and made his way to 5 continents. He hiked the Inca Trail in Peru, summited Mt. Kilimanjaro, went on an outback tour of Australia, and travelled all around the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Although he fearlessly set out on many trips solo as a young adult, he was able to share his adventures over the past 12 years with his soul mate and wife, Sreedevi, greatly sweetening the experiences for him. Before being plagued with health problems, they were planning trips to Asia and Antarctica to accomplish his dream to set foot on all 7 continents.

Brian was clever, creative, and passionate about seeking opportunities to grow and learn from new experiences. He cleverly twisted his often-misspelled name for an email address that reflected his desire to "grow" his mind: brain garden. He graduated from Cave Spring High School in Roanoke, Virginia, in 1990. In 1994, he earned a Bachelor's degree in English from Virginia Tech. He was working on completing the final credits towards his Master's degree at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill when his health took a turn. Brian lived his life with passion and compassion. He volunteered to help political candidates get elected, captained tennis teams, organized local groups in support of independent and small budget films, and advocated for a vegan lifestyle. He was sensitive and artistic with a deep understanding of the arts, literature, and world philosophy. He meditated daily and practiced yoga. He valued and saw beauty in all forms of life and cultures. One of his greatest acts of compassion was rescuing an abandoned dog at a grocery store parking lot. He took that abused dog in and provided Buddy a loving and wonderful home until his death in 2015.

Those left to cherish Brian's memory are his loving wife Sreedevi Gummuluri of Durham, NC, and from Greensboro, NC, his parents Roger and Mary Gardner, his sister Stacey Dennehy, her husband Glenn Dennehy, and nieces Megan and Kelly.

Please join his family in bidding farewell as he makes his final journey to reunite with Buddy. A memorial gathering in his remembrance will be held on Thursday, May 25, from 4:00-6:00 PM at George Brothers Funeral Service, 803 Greenhaven Drive, Greensboro, North Carolina 27406.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to one of Brian's favorite charities such as Beyondfences.org, Independent Animal Rescue (IAR), or Hope for Paws.

"There are far, far better things ahead than any we leave behind." - C.S. Lewis