Eric W. Gardell's Obituary
Eric William Gardell, age 95, formerly of Wappinger Falls, New York, passed away on Saturday, March 21, 2026. He spent his last five years at the Edgewood retirement community in North Andover, MA near his son Steven.
Eric was predeceased by his wife of 62 years, Janet; parents Eric B. and Madeline Gardell, and daughter-in-law, Lorraine Gardell. He will be greatly missed by his three sons, Steven and wife Cindy of Derry, NH; David and wife Deb of Fairfax, VT and Richard and wife Susan of Rockaway, NJ; his sister Nancy and brother-in-law John Larson of Palo Alto, CA; grandchildren Christopher (Jodie) Gardell, Paige Gardell, Elizabeth (Matthew) Knobloch, Levi (Açelya) Gardell and Eric (Anna) Gardell; great-grandchildren Marley, Jonathon and Charlie, and many other family and friends.
Eric was born in Brooklyn and spent his early years in the NY metropolitan area.
Eric moved several times within the State of New York as his Civil Engineer father worked at large engineering projects. After graduating Peru High School, Eric attended Union College for 2 years and then served as a jet engine mechanic in the Air Force during the Korean conflict. Since there were no civilian jet engine jobs to be had, he enrolled in the tool making apprentice program at GE. After getting his journeyman papers, he learned that they had no work for journeymen. His dad suggested taking the NYS civil service exam as a fallback. After acing the exam and finding nothing else, and with a wife and infant to support, he started at the NY State DOT (Department Of Transportation). He wound up spending 25 years at the DOT and settling in Wappingers Falls. He became licensed as a land surveyor and professional engineer (no small accomplishment without an engineering degree). While at the DOT, he started a part time surveying and engineering business with the family. The business became full-time when he retired from his DOT position as the manager of the Right of Way mapping department. Always interested in technology, he was an early and enthusiastic adopter of computer technology in the office and electronic surveying equipment in the field.
Eric instilled a strong work ethic and love for tinkering in his three sons, encouraging countless projects in the garage or basement workshops. This provided the confidence to take on many home projects and the wisdom to know when not to. It is no surprise that all pursued technical careers. As one of his grandchildren recently pointed out, his legacy is the lessons he taught us. Eric always had large fruit and vegetable gardens and shared the bounty and knowledge widely. Eric and Janet enjoyed traveling throughout the USA and the world. Eric enjoyed cutting and splitting firewood for the stove into his late eighties.
Eric was particularly proud that he built the house the family grew up in – largely with his own hands. This included lots of tasks few would attempt including laying block, wiring, plumbing, and hanging drywall.
Eric looked for adventure from the start. While walking home from grade school on the afternoon of September 21, 1938, Eric experienced the lashing winds and rain of the New England hurricane of 1938 (also called "The Long Island Express"). It was thrilling entertainment for the young boy to watch trees and branches topple around him! Expecting to be chastised for being late and getting his feet wet, Eric was surprised and relieved by the joyful welcome he received from his mother when safely arriving home. As a teenager, he traipsed alone through the deep woods on snowshoes looking for small game and then walked tough streets in NY with his (rural) Peru senior-high classmates. More adventures followed in the Air Force and then with long cross-country road trips with the family.
Eric and Janet were active members of the United Methodist Church in Wappingers Falls, and later the Calvary Chapel of the Hudson Valley in Poughkeepsie, NY. They were also active in the NY State Association of Professional Land Surveyors.
There will be a service celebrating his life at 10:30 on June 13 at the Calvary Chapel of the Hudson Valley (36 Firemens Way, Poughkeepsie, NY). There will be greeting time with the family starting at 9:30. Donations to the charity of your choice instead of flowers are encouraged. Eric and Janet were supporters of various veterans’ organizations and the Salvation Army. Eric will be interred at the Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery, 342 South Ave, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601, Building 2, Section C, Niche 3, Row I with Janet.
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