| Sam Gardiner | |
| Honorific-Suffix: | MBE, JP |
| Office: | Father of the Northern Ireland Assembly |
| Term Start: | 5 May 2011 |
| Term End: | 5 May 2016 |
| Constituency Am1: | Upper Bann |
| Assembly1: | Northern Ireland |
| Term Start1: | 26 November 2003 |
| Term End1: | 30 March 2016 |
| Predecessor1: | George Savage |
| Successor1: | Doug Beattie |
| Office2: | Mayor of Craigavon |
| Term Start2: | 2001 |
| Term End2: | 2002 |
| Predecessor2: | Fred Crowe |
| Term Start3: | 1988 |
| Term End3: | 1989 |
| Predecessor3: | Sydney Cairns |
| Successor3: | James McCammick |
| Term Start4: | 1982 |
| Term End4: | 1983 |
| Predecessor4: | Mary Simpson |
| Successor4: | James Gillespie |
| Office5: | Member of Craigavon Borough Council |
| Constituency5: | Lurgan |
| Term Start5: | 21 May 1997 |
| Term End5: | 5 May 2011 |
| Predecessor5: | Audrey Savage |
| Successor5: | Jo-Anne Dobson |
| Constituency6: | Lurgan |
| Term Start6: | 15 May 1985 |
| Term End6: | 17 May 1989 |
| Predecessor6: | District created |
| Successor6: | Audrey Savage |
| Constituency7: | Craigavon Area D |
| Term Start7: | 20 May 1981 |
| Term End7: | 15 May 1985 |
| Predecessor7: | James Baird |
| Successor7: | District abolished |
| Office8: | Ulster Unionist Whip in the Northern Ireland Forum |
| Leader8: | David Trimble |
| Term Start8: | 1996 |
| Term End8: | 1998 |
| Predecessor8: | Office created |
| Successor8: | Office abolished |
| Office9: | Northern Ireland Forum Member for Upper Bann |
| Term Start9: | 30 May 1996 |
| Term End9: | 25 April 1998 |
| Predecessor9: | New forum |
| Successor9: | Forum dissolved |
| Office10: | Mayor of Lurgan |
| Term Start10: | 1968 |
| Term End10: | 1969 |
| Office11: | Member of Lurgan Borough Council |
| Term Start11: | 1963 |
| Term End11: | 1973 |
| Successor11: | Council abolished |
| Birth Date: | 24 March 1940 |
| Birth Place: | Lurgan, County Armagh, Northern Ireland |
| Nationality: | British |
| Party: | Ulster Unionist Party |
| Spouse: | Elizabeth Gardiner |
| Children: | Clive Keith |
| Residence: | Lurgan, County Armagh |
| Website: | Gardiner UUP |
Alderman Samuel Gardiner MBE JP (24 March 1940 – 8 November 2022) was a Northern Irish Ulster Unionist Party (UUP) politician who was a Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly (MLA) for Upper Bann from 2003 to 2016.
Gardiner was elected to Lurgan Borough Council (now Craigavon Borough Council) in 1963 and held office of mayor in that borough in 1968.[1] He was mayor of Craigavon 1982/3, 1988/9 and 2000/1.
Gardiner was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum and was party whip in the same in 1996–1998.[2]
Gardiner was elected to the Assembly in 2003. He served on the Environmental, Leisure Services and Public Services Liaison Committees and was the UUP spokesperson on environment. As the oldest Northern Ireland Assembly member, Gardiner also served as Father of the House, a role which includes presiding over the election of a new Speaker of the Assembly.[3]
Gardiner was a High Sheriff for County Armagh and was appointed a justice of the peace. He was also a member of the Orange Order, Deputy Sovereign Grand Master of the Royal Black Institution and former chairman of Glenavon F.C..
Gardiner died on 8 November 2022, at the age of 82.[4]