John W. Gardner age 46, of Provincetown died Tuesday September 11, 2012 at Cape Cod Hospital. He was the husband of Earl E. Kendall. Born in Bennettsville, South Carolina on September 22, 1965, he was the son of Nancy (Duarte) Higgins and the late William W. Gardner who died in 1985. John had lived in Taunton and Middleboro before moving to Provincetown in 1999. At the time of his death, John and his husband Earl were the owners of the club Purgatory in Provincetown. Together they also owned Erl Jon Property Management Company. At one time he was the National Couple Roller Skating Champion. He was also a ball room dance instructor.
In addition to his husband and mother, he is survived by his step father Larry Higgins, his mother and father in law James and Ann Kendall of Brockton, his sisters in law, Lisa Campbell and her partner Severino Pacheco of Taunton and Christine MacLean and her husband Tom also of Taunton and his brother Robert “Skip” Rhyne of Murray Kentucky. He also leaves his two dogs, Chi Chi and Cha Cha, numerous nieces and nephews and an extended family of friends.
There will be visiting hours on Sunday September 16, 2012 from 3:00-7:00pm at the Gately Funeral Home and a funeral service will take place on Monday at 10:00am in St. Peter the Apostle Church 11 Prince St. Provincetown.