Rusty Gardner

CAMDEN- Rusty Gardner passed away on June 15, 2023. He was born in Camden, S.C. on April 24^th 2011..

     Rusty, also known as “Crusty Rusty,” enjoyed sleeping, snack time, loved to bask in the sun (you would have to force him to come in because he loved it so much), snuggles with daddy while he played video games, cooking with mom (he was the best taste tester,) and sleeping under the blankets next to his daddy. Rusty’s favorite toy was his lamb chop and loved eating any noodles. He would go crazy for them and bonus points if they were long noodles.

    When you would give him a bath, and would towel dry him, he would get CRAZY zoomies, and run from one side of the house to the other over and over till he wanted on the bed. He would put his tiny little front paws on the side of the bed and look back at you till you picked him up.

    When we first got his brother waffles, he was his protector, and adored him. Would not leave him alone and had to have his snoot pressed against waffles during every bottle feed. For the first few months he wouldn’t sleep unless it was next to his bestie. Even when waffles got too big, he would still try and mess with him regardless of the fact rusty was the size of waffles front leg (pitbull)

     When our cat socks ran away, he was gone for a few days, and rusty was devastated. I finally found him, brought him home, and rusty was so excited. He ran a bunch of circles and ran into the bedroom to get his lambchop toy. He carried it back to the living room and gave it to socks as a present. Socks cuddled it all night and rusty snuggled him.

    Whenever mommy got really sad, he would force his way onto her lap, put his front paws on her chest, give kisses, and snuggled till mommy felt better. He also would yell at mom as soon as she got home, and wouldn’t stop till he got his ear scratchies, and told he was the goodest of boys.

     Left to cherish his memory are his parents, Jacob Gardner and Jenna Salvatore; and siblings, Waffles, and Socks.

    He was preceded in death by his brother, Zorro, girlfriend, Sweetpea, a Pitbull and Australian Sheppard mix who passed in 2021. He absolutely adored her with his whole heart, and she loved him more than anything. I know he’s happy to see her again, and I know she’s been waiting excitedly to greet him at the gate.