The Topeka Daily Capital Thursday April 17, 1947 John W. Gardner, First Director of Highways, Is Dead. Marion, Kan.,--April 16.--Funeral services will be held Saturday or Sunday in Marion for John W. GARDNER, who died in a hospital in Las Vegas, Nev., Sunday evening. Mr. Gardner was the first director of the Kansas State Highway Department serving in that capacity at the tome of the department's organization in April, 1929. He held the office form 1928 until 1930 and was succeeded by the late Guy T. HELVERING. A prominent citizen and abstractor at Marion for many years, Gardner twice served as mayor, form 1922 to 1925, and again from 1944 until early this year. He was a member of the Shrine and Masonic Lodges. Mr. Gardner's death occurred while he was enroute to California with his daughter, Mrs. Tom HOWARD, and Major Howard.