Obituary of Keith Allan Gardiner

Keith Allan Gardiner, February 21, 1991-October 10, 2019

Keith died suddenly in a boating accident in Panama. He is survived by his parents, Derek and Laurie Gardiner, and older sisters, Kristin and Kayleen Gardiner. He will be missed by his large circle of friends and extended family.

A charismatic motivator and leader with a free spirit and a love for adventure, Keith made friends everywhere he went. He loved unconditionally, and the bonds he shared with family and friends ran deep.

Keith traveled widely in search of adventure, and his love of nature and fishing always drew him to the water where he spent much of his free time. No matter where his travels took him, animals seemed to find him, and he took in many stray cats and dogs. During his travels he also developed a love for nature photography.

After graduating from the Business Management program at Conestoga College in 2013, Keith spent a year in Thailand teaching English to schoolchildren. Later, he spent a month living in a tent, on a beach in Mexico while taking his yoga instructor training, then went to Ecuador to teach yoga.

He came back to Canada to live with and care for his grandfather in Elk Lake for about a year. During the long Northern Ontario winter, he tapped into his love for music and taught himself to play the ukulele.

Keith’s wanderlust meant he never stayed in one place long, and soon he was off to Nicaragua. It was there that he met his partner, Heylis, and together they traveled to Panama where he discovered his love of spearfishing.

Keith’s adventurous spirit and fearlessness was inspiring. His kind heart and loving nature shone bright and his light will be missed by all who love him. He will live on forever in our hearts and memories.

“There is a pleasure in the pathless woods,
There is a rapture on the lonely shore,
There is society, where none intrudes,
By the deep Sea, and music in its roar:
I love not Man the less, but Nature more…”

-Lord Byron

Donations are appreciated to help support Keith’s partner, Heylis, at https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-for-heylis or to the Waterloo-Wellington branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association at www.gofundme.com/f/wvnzdk-cmha by using the links on the memorial homepage. 

We welcome all to a celebration fitting to Keith's life, which  will be held on Sunday, November 3, 2019 between 1-5 p.m., with a tribute to him being delivered at 1:30 p.m. at The Pines, 115 Fountain Street South, Cambridge. Those wishing to be in attendance for the tribute are asked to arrive prior to 1:30 p.m.

We also ask for you to specifically share your photos of Keith throughout his life with us to be added to a special Memorial Movie of Keith's life. This movie will be available for viewing upon completion and so your efforts in both adding photos to his webpage Tribute Wall and emailing them to:

Laurie Gardiner at: lauriegauthor@gmail.com

Uniquely entrusted to eco Cremation and Burial Services Inc. 

Life Celebrations. Done Differently.