Utah State Prison inmates grow pumpkins for fall school activities, and once raised money to buy giant umbrellas to keep wheelchairs dry at bus stops.

Even the rich and famous can't resist Gardner's call. In 1998, his school received a baseball autographed by then-home-run-king Mark McGwire. Delivered by actress Melanie Good, Gardner's niece and friend of the superstar slugger, the ball was auctioned to buy communication devices for students.

"He continued his public relations for years and stayed involved with the community . . . so people can see, we're not the state hospital, where kids are shut away," Eyre said. "We are doing things that are (for a) good quality education that's appropriate for them."

Four years ago, Jordan Valley unveiled what was believed to be the first fully wheelchair-accessible playground in Utah. Earlier this year, the school became the first in the United States to receive donated EagleEyes technology, an eye-controlled computer that offers a window into the minds of non-communicative children. Other donations, possible through a Boston College partnership with the Salt Lake-based Opportunity Foundation of America, were reserved for schools in Ohio, Massachusetts and Scotland.

"John is a living legacy," said Lorie Seeger, a nurse at Jordan Valley. "As his values go . . . he has created that living legacy for us to follow. There will never be another John Gardner, that's for sure."

Several groups have honored John's leadership, including the Utah PTA, the Council for Exceptional Children, the State Board of Education and Special Olympics.

Word of his retirement has traveled fast. Gardner has had a dozen job offers already, some from out of state.

But he has other plans.

"I've worked a 60-hour week for 34 years," he said. "I'm going four-wheelin.' "

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E-mail: jtcook@desnews.com