WAYNE - Bonnell Tappen Covert Gardner, a 62-year-old resident of Wayne, died suddenly at his home on Tuesday, July 29, 2008. Mr. Gardner, who also maintained a residence in West Palm Beach, Fla., was a retired private school teacher and active collector and dealer of books and art. He was born on Long Island, N.Y., on July 26, 1946. His parents were Elizabeth Tappen and Alan Gardner, of New York City. Mr. Gardner graduated from the Buckley School in New York, The Hill School in Pottstown, Pa., and the University of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia. He also held a master's degree in education from Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pa. Prior to his retirement from teaching, Mr. Gardner taught English at The Hill School and Gould Academy in Bethel. During his tenure at Gould, he and his wife, Jean, who survives, maintained residences in Wayne, Bethel and Farmington. Mr. Gardner was a member of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity, the Lake Androscoggin Yacht Club, the Augusta Country Club and the Four Arts Library of Palm Beach. In recent years, Mr. Gardner concentrated on his ever-expanding collection of rare books and prints. He regularly attended, and participated in, book conferences and conventions up and down the East Coast, and was widely acknowledged as a major collector of 20th-century American literature and 19th- and 20th-century prints and paintings, including original works by such well known Maine artists as Neil Welliver and Jill Hoy. Mr. Gardner was preceded in death by his parents. In addition to his wife, he is survived by numerous nieces and nephews. A memorial celebration of his life will be at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 2, at Mr. and Mrs. Gardner's lakefront cottage in Wayne. No date has been chosen for a second memorial service to be held at The Hill School in Pottstown. Private cremation was in the care of Roberts Funeral Home, 62 Bowdoin St., Winthrop. www.khrfuneralhomes.com The family suggests that any memorial donations be made to a charity or institution of the donor's choice.