James and Rebecca (Hary) Gardner are both graduates of Rockland District High School. They first met at a dance at the Community Building. They were married at Owls Head Baptist Church on June
7, 1971. Rev. John Fay officiated.

James had just returned from serving with the U.S. Coast Guard on Con Son Island, Vietnam. He then served at Marshall Point Light in Port Clyde. The couple then moved to Kodiak, Alaska and then on to Venice, Florida, with temporary duty on San Salvador Island, Bahamas. James was elevated to Officer-in-Charge of the USCG Base in Venice.

It was in Venice that they became Christians and James was called to preach and off they went to Baptist Bible College in Springfield, Missouri. After Bible College they served on staff at Faith Baptist Church in Sarasota, Florida for five years. God then moved them to pastor the San Jose Bible Baptist Church in Bisbee, Arizona for the next four years. They then went to Cornerstone Baptist in Phoenix, Arizona where they served for 10 years.

God then called them to Shiretown Baptist Church in Houlton, Maine where they served for 13 years before “retiring.” After retiring, they relocated to Davis Island, Edgecomb, Maine.

They are currently members of Bible Baptist Church in Wiscasset where they found their greatest joy: their five adopted grandchildren: Dylan, Kelsey, Aleeya, Lindsey and Maddie. James fill pulpits across the state of Maine when needed, presently serving as the interim pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Newport.