GENDRON, HOWARD G.

GENDRON, HOWARD GARY Howard Gary Gendron, 74, of Dennisville, NJ, went home to the Lord peacefully on Friday, August 11, 2023, surrounded by his daughters and wife. He had fought a courageous seven year battle with Progressive Supranuclear Palsy, a Parkinson's-type disorder. The son of the late Henry and Rosemary Gendron, he was born in Washington, DC on August 9, 1949 and grew up in a family of 10 in Syracuse, NY. As a boy in Syracuse, Howard developed expertise in both snow shoveling and playing baseball. Although a gifted athlete and accomplished pitcher, he opted to serve his country after high school, joining the US Coast Guard. He served as a medic, stationed primarily in San Diego. Following the Coast Guard, he enjoyed a varied 35 year career with the US Postal Service, having served as postmaster in many of the communities in Cape May County. After retiring from the Postal Service, he worked for the Borough of Avalon until 2017. Howard's heart was etched with integrity, humility and sincerity. His Catholic faith guided him daily, and his interactions with both friends and strangers were marked with palpable kindness. His gratitude for his blessings was evident, and he approached each day with energy, positivity and the desire to serve others. He was the friend in whom you could confide, the friend who would tell you the truth even when it was hard to hear, the friend you could always trust. He was a natural parent, evidenced by the beautiful and enduring bond he shared with his three daughters. And he was a 'bring you flowers for no particular reason' kind of husband. He may have had challenging days, but he never had a bad day. He loved his family, his church, his neighbors, the Rolling Stones, the Yankees, Phillies, Eagles, Penn State football, reading a Tom Clancy novel, bread pudding, crepe myrtle trees and hiking Pinnacle Peak in Scottsdale, AZ. He loved to laugh, and he loved making others laugh. Around the holidays, he would much rather sit at the kids' table. His sense of humor was infectious and uplifting. Howard is survived by his wife of 28 years Lisa Apel-Gendron; his daughters Nicole Ramirez (Ish), Lori Lybarger (Jesse) and Ashley Vassel (Garett); his mother-in-law Lois Boykin; his siblings Sharon Walker (Rick), Donna Hummel, Teri Gendron, Bill Gendron, Jackie Nickerson, Janine Surovec (Michael) and Cathy Nardozzo (Dan); grandchildren Brynn Stephens, Camryn Lybarger, Peyton Lybarger, Sloan Vassel and Grey Vassel; many nieces and nephews and his rescue chihuahua Chiquita. Visitation will be held Thursday, August 17 from 9- 9:45 a.m. at Saint Casimir Church, 304 Clay Street, Woodbine, NJ, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Farewell will take place at Resurrection Cemetery in Clermont, NJ. A special request from the family — please, no somber attire. Howie's life was full of brightness and energy, so let's keep that going. Memorial donations may be made to the New Jersey Veterans Memorial Home Welfare Fund, c/o Life Enrichment, 524 North West Blvd., Vineland, NJ 08360-2895. Condolences at www.radzieta.com