Sam Gardiner: Tributes to former UUP Upper Bann MLA - 'a servant of the people'

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, a respected retired nursing sister, their two sons Clive and Keith and a number of grandchildren.

He stood down from electoral politics in 2016 spelling the end of a 55-year career with the party, which stretched back to the days of Lurgan Borough Council.

UUP leader, Doug Beattie, said: “All members of the Ulster Unionist Party are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our former colleague Sam Gardiner.

“Sam was a very friendly and personable man who was held in high esteem by Council and Stormont colleagues across all parties and by the electorate.

"He was a man of conviction, a man of passion and a man of dedicated service and the party will be the lesser for having lost him.

“Having spoken with his family this morning, on behalf of the Ulster Unionist Party I would like to send my deepest condolences to Sam’s family and his many friends, at this sad time.”

Former UUP MLA David McNarry described him as “one of the best, staunch, solid, compassionate, plenty of fire in his belly”.

He added: “They don't make many unionists like Sam anymore.”

Commenting on his death, Upper Bann DUP MP Carla Lockhart added: “First and foremost my thoughts are with Sammy’s family, for whom this loss will be most acutely felt.

"I also extend my sympathies to Sammy’s colleagues in the Ulster Unionist Party in Upper Bann.”

She added: “Sammy was a dedicated servant of the people, with decades in public office from Council through to the corridors of Stormont.

"He had a great heart for the Lurgan area in particular, and I know many people in the local community will be deeply saddened to hear of his passing.”

Sam started his working life in the linen trade and then went into the Electric Board (EBNI later NIE), rising to the post of area credit controller.

His political life started in the late 1950s when he joined the UUP in his teens. He was mayor of Lurgan aged 27, in 1968, and was mayor of Craigavon on three occasions, 1982, 1988 and 2000.His greatest council achievement, Samuel said, was as chairman of the jobs-creating organisation CIDO, with its complexes in Portadown and Lurgan. “Its ethos of creating nursery units for budding entrepreneurs and supporting them with advice and administration has proved a real winner,” he said.

He was also chairman of the Brownlow Trustees – the world HQ for the Royal Black Preceptory, of which he was one of three Deputy Imperial Grand Masters.

He also served Lurgan as District Grand Master of the Orange and Black Institutions and was in the Masonic Order.Outside politics, he had been High Sheriff of Armagh and was on the Select Vestry of Shankill Parish Church of Ireland.He had been a Chairman of Glenavon FC, a member of the old Lurgan Hospital Board, founder President of Craigavon Chorale and chairman of the Maze Visitors Group.

His funeral will be in Holy Trinity, Waringstown on Friday at 1pm.