Donald Gard

Gard, Donald D. 1/27/1942 - 10/23/2021 Portage Donald Dean Gard, age 79, of Portage, Michigan, passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, October 23rd, 2021. Don was born on January 27th, 1942, in Marion, Indiana. Shortly thereafter, he and his family moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he lived until his mid-twenties. He moved to Portage in the 1960s, where he spent the remainder of his life. He went to trade school and was a gifted carpenter who could build anything with his own two hands, but he specialized in flooring. Don loved to draw, he loved music and loved to dance, he was an auto enthusiast and loved Mustangs, he spent much of his free time working on cars. He loved to cook; he was always ready to serve whoever was around. Don was a great storyteller and a fan of stories himself; he had a sizeable movie collection to show for it. He was a 40-year member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles, a member of the Kalamazoo Antique Auto Restorers Club, and he was active at Milwood United Methodist Church. Don was predeceased by his father James Gard, his mother Betty Gard, his brother Kevin Gard, and his uncle Danny Hazel. He is survived by his former wife Joyce Gard, his son Michael Gard (Anna Schmitt), his daughter Nicole Gard, his granddaughter Mia VandenBerg, his grandson CJ Ellis, his niece Amanda Gard, and his cousins Erin Hampshire and Rob Holderbaum. Visitation for Don will be held on Thursday, October 28th from 2-4 pm and 6-8 pm at Langeland Family Funeral Homes Burial & Cremation Services, 411 E Centre Ave, Portage, MI 49002. Funeral services will be held on Friday, October 29th at 11:00 am at Milwood United Methodist Church, 3919 Portage Street, Kalamazoo, MI 49001, with burial to follow at Portage South Cemetery. Following the cemetery, A Celebration of Life will take place at the Kalamazoo Fraternal Order of the Eagles, Lodge 526 1332 Branch St. Kalamazoo around 2:30 pm. Those desiring may make memorial contributions to Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes in memory of Don. Please visit his personalized webpage at https://www.langelands.com to leave an online condolence or memory.