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16 - The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday June 9, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Former public school board chair had `passion for education' By Lisa Tallyn SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Former Halton District School Board (HDSB) chair and Halton Hills Trustee Ethel Gardiner lost her battle with cancer Tuesday. Gardiner died at her Georgetown home with her husband Peter by her side. She was 69. Peter said his wife of 50 years "fought really, really hard," since she was diagnosed with lung cancer last September. After learning of her illness, Gardiner made the difficult decision not to run for a fifth term as trustee -- a job that Peter said she loved and would still be doing if she could. "Ethel was very feisty. She was a very compassionate person, but very passionate about what she believed in." Dusty Papke, former Halton District School Board director Her main goal as both a teacher for 39 years and as a trustee for 11, six of those as the HDSB's chair, was always "looking out for the kids," said Peter. The couple met at teacher's college in their native province of New Brunswick, and Gardiner's teaching career began there in 1956, the same year they were married. They have two grown children, Cindy and Paul. Gardiner taught and was a principal in northern Ontario before the family moved south and both she and Paul landed teaching jobs in Halton Hills in 1966. Gardiner was hired as a teacher at Pineview Public School. She taught in Halton schools for 29 years, the majority of those, 18 years, at Robert Little School in Acton where she was a special education teacher. She retired from Centennial School in 1995. In October of that year Gardiner was elected trustee for Halton Hills, a position she held until 2006. Peter said she ran for the trustee's position because, "there were a lot of changes that needed to be made as far as kids were concerned." Gardiner served as the board's chair from 1997 to 2003. In 2004 she was presented with the prestigious provincial Dr. Harry Paikin Award of Merit and the Halton District School Board Award of Excellence for her contribution to public education. "The thing I'll remember most about Ethel was her passion for education," said former HDSB Education Director Dusty Papke. "She was a champion of our students." Papke said as board chair, Gardiner "helped steer the ship through some of the toughest times in public education." Papke called Gardiner "a true character," and "one of the most encouraging Ethel Gardiner people that I've ever met." "Ethel could also be feisty. She was a very compassionate person, but very passionate about what she believed in," said Papke. She made sure the "voices of her constituents from Halton Hills" were heard at the board table, said Papke. Current HDSB Education Director Wayne Joudrie said Gardiner "always put kids first." "She had a warm spot in her heart for the grey area students, the ones that may struggle a little bit in school and need additional help," said Joudrie. "At last a worry free window and door installation with an Iron Clad guarantee*!!!" Spring Sale 2501 Third Line (Dundas & Third Line) PROCESSING PLANT 905-469-5500 478 Dundas St. W. (Dundas & Neyagawa) PROCESSING PLANT 905-257-2956 2423 Trafalgar Rd. (Winners & Home Sense) 905-257-4905 1011 Upper Middle Rd. (Inside Dominion) 905-339-1280 261 Oakwalk Dr. (Dundas St. across from the Great Canadian Super Store) 905-257-5189 3420 Rebecca St. (Rebecca & Great Lakes) 905-847-1209 Your choice of · $150 off per window · Free lock with door (up to $460 value) · 6 months no interest, no payments. 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"She loved kids," said Chatten. "She was such an advocate for needy kids. I never saw a child placed with Ethel who didn't learn how to read or write." He said she had a great sense of humour, and was a great cook, always bringing in food for her colleagues. Gardiner carried her "caring for kids" to the school board and she was also a "teacher's teacher," said Chatten. Former Oakville trustee Mary Chapin, Gardiner's long-time colleague at the board who served as vice-chair while Gardiner was chair, said she was "a teacher with a capital T." "She taught adults, too. She coached us through a visionary change (at the board). She was just a real leaderteacher," said Chapin. "She piloted the school board into a new governance model that brought us into the 21st century." Tears of tribute for Gardiner flowed freely at Wednesday's public school board meeting. Several trustees said it was Gardiner who encouraged and ultimately convinced them to run for the position in last November's municipal election. Board vice-chair Janie Hames, in a choked up voice, said she learned muchfrom Gardiner noting her "robust and sometimes wicked sense of humour" and her "feisty personality." "Ethel maintained solid principles and always advocated for students and staff." Hames said the bottom line for Gardiner on any issue of education was, "How is it good for kids?" Rookie Oakville Trustee Philippa Ellis was equally emotional in talking about Gardiner, noting they are both from New Brunswick. She likened Gardiner, in personality and stature, to the Queen Mother. Ellis' voice trailed off when she recalled how on the death of her mother, Gardiner was the first person to send her a condolence card. New Milton Trustee Donna Danielli said she's known Gardiner for about 10 years and was also convinced to run for trustee by Gardiner. "If I can be half the trustee she was, I'll be pleased," said Danielli. First-year Halton Hills Trustee Gerry Ockenden said Gardiner urged and convinced him to become a trustee and thanked her for giving him an opportunity to do something different. Joudrie noted it has been a long oversight that Gardiner's portrait, signifying her status as a past board chair, is not on display with the others in the boardroom. He said that will be rectified soon. Gardiner is survived by her husband Peter, their children Cindy and Paul, and her sisters Mildred Hanley and Ruth Holt. A funeral service will be held at St. John's United Church (11 Guelph St. Georgetown) today (Saturday) at 2 p.m. to be followed by a reception at the church.