A Memorial service for Mack Gardner will be held at West Hartselle Baptist Church, Sunday , July 28 at 2PM. The church is located at 1640 Main Street West, Hartselle.

Mack is survived by his wife and sweetheart Karen Gardner, daughter Jan Free (Dinky) and adopted son Chris Gardner and Kenny Hill; Michael Sean Allred (Amber) step-son. Mack was also a father to a number of other children.

He is survived by 12 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. He is also survived by several step-siblings and a number of nieces and nephews and cousins.

Devoted friends James Allred, Gary Spivey and Jim and Bonnie Norman.

He was preceded in death by his daughter Cynthia Rose and parents Dessie Mae and Dalice McKinley Gardner Sr

Mack started his career in the auto body repair business at the age of 17 in 1958. His first job was sanding cars for $5.00 a day. The owner of the shop was nice enough to “let him work” 7 days a week. His days work was not complete until he finished the car he was assigned for that day. No matter what time he finished he still had to be back to work at 7am the next morning. Mack later worked at Mitchell Motor’s Ford, where he worked on some of the very first Mustangs.

Mack ended up at Peek’s Oldsmobile Cadillac on Lee Street in Decatur until he went into business on his own in 1968 when he was 27 years old. Mack’s Paint and Body Shop was started where it now stands in downtown Hartselle in 1980. We will be celebrating our 33rd year serving the Hartselle area and surrounding communities in 2013. We are affectionately known by the locals as “Mack’s By the Trax” !!

Mack had the most giving spirit and never bragged about his giving. He always gave more to others and never refused a genuine need. He donated a number of vehicles to Harvest Evangelism, a 2 year program that rehabs drug and alcohol men and women and others displaced by society. He was generous to a fault but received great joy in helping others.

One of Mack’s greatest areas of pride was the recent addition of grandson Tim Peebles, as our shop manager. He has been working with him for several years and Tim is doing an excellent job and was taught by the best!!!

We have also been blessed with long term employees/friends John Shipp, David Atkins, Jeff Vice, Tom Smart, Willard Smith, Tommy Jackson and Donna Pepper.

Mack always made sure that we did the very best repair job possible on every vehicle that came into our shop. We try to help bring peace and comfort to our customers who have just experienced a very traumatic event and help walk them through the process of the repair. Mack received great satisfaction from our customers who tell others what they have experienced at Mack’s and share with them what a great job our repair team accomplished on their vehicle. He took great pride in every vehicle that came through the shop and now Tim will be able to carry on his traditions and move us all forward.

He often said that he enjoyed running up and down that hill at the shop. I heard Success defined as finding what you love to do and then finding someone to pay you to do it!! According to that, Mack never really worked a day because he loved what he did and was a great success to those who love him. He will be greatly missed by all whose lives he touched.

Family and friends are being received at 1402 West Main Street, Hartselle, Al.

In lieu of flowers or in addition to, please make donations in Mack’s name to: Harvest Evangelism, P O Box 2888, Opelika, Al 36803. Peck Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements.