David Gardos

June 23, 1940-July 9, 2019

David Gardos, (aka Blumberg), founder and former CEO of Merex Food Corporation, passed away peacefully at home Tuesday morning surrounded by his family after a brief illness. He is survived by his wife Jameela, children, Sophia and Nico Gardos and Lorenzo Bouchard, his sisters, Dr. Roxane Spitzer, Marian Cohen, and Susan Shaw and their families. Dave was a pioneer in counter hemisphere growing of specialty produce, transshipment of it globally and distribution of it nationally. Because of his innovation and vision, he helped change the way America eats by transforming the once mundane selection of produce in winter to a vibrant array that had been previously available only in summer months. He partnered with farmers and cooperatives in Chile, Spain, Holland, France, Italy, China, Ecuador, Argentina, Guatemala and many more countries where he often invested with local farmers and supported local schools. Along the way, Dave was a generous mentor for many who rose and remain in the industry today. Dave was known for his brilliant wit, his easy charm and his vast knowledge of history, other cultures, places and peoples. He was a self made and self educated man, teaching himself Spanish and Italian fluently and learning enough of many other languages to conduct business globally. Dave lived and worked internationally for multinational corporations prior to starting his own. From his years of living in Madrid, his passion for Spain and all things Spanish grew and endured. He loved to cook and became an accomplished chef who enjoyed entertaining family and friends at home. But his greatest love and the role he was most proud of was that of father to his children. He was loved and respected by so many and will be sorely missed. A Memorial Service will be held at 3PM on Saturday, 7/13 at St Barnabas on the Desert, Paradise Valley, AZ.