Joseph "Moose" Gardler

Joseph “Moose” Gardler passed away on March 8, 2025 at the age of 90. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 68 years, Helen Gardler; his four children and their spouses, Joseph and Dotty Gardler, Janice Gardler and Nicholas Mattera, Joan and Patrick Hennessy, and Robert Gardler and Rossen Milanov; his five grandchildren and their spouses, Julianne Mattera and Kevin Zwick, Jaclyn Mattera, Matthew and Heather Mattera, Andrew Sabine and Grace Sabine; and his four great-grandchildren, Ryan, Everett, Benjamin and Josephine. Joe’s life was as rich as it was long. As a high schooler, he was a two time city champion in 1952 and 1953, part of the storied West Catholic basketball team that beat Wilt Chamberlain’s Overbook team for the 1953 Philadelphia City Championship. Joe was inducted into the West Catholic Hall of Fame in 2014.

While he had the opportunity to pursue college with an athletic scholarship, he went to work. Soon after he met the love of his life, Helen, through a friend of hers at work. They married and raised their children in Glenolden, PA, where later in life he expertly tended to his lawn and rose bushes. Joe often worked long hours as a painter and later, 30 years at PECO to support his family. Retirement didn’t slow him down. He stayed busy with his pastimes, seeing friends and playing sports. He was an accomplished golfer, playing 50 years at McCall Field and also playing with his children and with Helen, through their 70s. He also was a die-hard Philadelphia and Notre Dame sports fan, adopting more teams as his grandchildren went to college. Joe was an avid reader of history and current events. Neat stacks of newspapers and Civil War and World War II history books bracketed his living room chair. He appreciated craftsmanship, including carefully tending to his home and refinishing pieces of furniture. He passed his understanding of painting and refurbishing onto his children. Loved ones now cherish the pieces that his hands gave life to.

He made time for life’s simple pleasures — watching the game with a handful of peanuts and a glass of beer on a Saturday afternoon after a morning of chores, mixing crisp gin and tonics with lime during a beach day happy hour, or tucking into a slice of chocolate cake with a movie.

Joe was also a storyteller, with a wit so dry and quick that listeners often had to hustle their understanding to catch up. For nearly every experience, good or bad, he was able to pull from a reservoir of old sayings and rhymes that he recited from memory. To simply say that “Moose” had many friends is an understatement. While vacationing in Sea Isle City, NJ, he often came back from long midday beach walks with a story of running into a friend or a former coworker. He truly enjoyed people. He showed his love, including his great love for his wife, through his actions: like the fireplace mantle platform he built to hold Helen’s Christmas village, which he meticulously set up every year. Or the many weeks he spent down the shore because it was Helen’s favorite place in all the world. Joe and Helen also shared a deep belief in their Catholic faith, which they passed on to their children. Despite the challenges Joseph overcame in life, including battling cancer and suffering complications from a stroke, his strength came through in his perseverance with no complaint. Through it all, he was unwaveringly steadfast in his love for his wife, children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Those that Joe leaves behind miss him, love him and eagerly await the day they will see him again.

Joe's funeral service was private and held on March 12, 2025.