Mary Faye Carden

Mary “Faye” Carden Faye Carden, age 83, a current resident of Summerville, South Carolina, previously residing in Loudon, Tennessee (Tellico Village), Fairfield, Connecticut, and a native of Sweetwater, Tennessee, passed away peacefully in her sleep of natural causes on April 11, 2025. Predeceased by her parents, Earl and Ellen (Martin) Carden, brother Jimmy Carden, and sister Judy (Carden) Chafin. Survived by son and daughter-in-law Carey and Gail Reed of Cookeville, Tennessee, daughter Ashley Reed of Summerville, South Carolina; grandchildren, Michael Reed and Emily and Macy Phillips. Her grandchildren were the light of her life. Faye was a graduate of Sweetwater High School, Sweetwater, Tennessee, East Tennessee Baptist Hospital School of Nursing, Knoxville, Tennessee, and Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, Connecticut, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Certified in Maternal-Child Care and Childbirth Education, Faye enjoyed a twenty-year career as a Labor and Delivery Nurse at St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, Connecticut. She then returned home to Tennessee and was employed by Covenant Home Care for five years in Knoxville and Lenoir City, Tennessee prior to retirement. Faye lived in eight different states, traveled to many more, and visited twenty countries during her lifetime. Faye loved exploring unfamiliar places, meeting new people, and cherished the special friendships she made over the years. She loved the Lord and was active in church wherever she lived, most notably Sweetwater Baptist Church, Black Rock Congregational Church, and First Baptist Church Tellico Village. Faye’s mother taught her, “Service to others is the rent you pay for your room here on Earth.” Having been born in the Volunteer State, she lived life with a servant’s heart. She enjoyed volunteering for Park West Medical Center and Habitat for Humanity. Her most memorable volunteer experience was serving as a Nurse on a mission trip to Venezuela with her church in Connecticut. She was a member (at large) of Xi Alpha Psi chapter of Beta Sigma Phi, a service organization, in Tellico Village where she served as President and Vice President. Please join the family for a Celebration of Life on June 7, 2025, at 1:00pm. Kyker Funeral Home, 113 W. North Street, Sweetwater, TN 37874 (423) 337-5033 https://www.kykerfuneralhomes.com In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the building fund of the First Baptist Church Tellico Village, 205 Chota Road, Loudon, TN 37774, OR Tennessee Right to Life, 3214 Tazewell Pike, Suite 205, Knoxville, TN 37918 OR a charity of your choice.

Mary Faye Carden

February 18, 1942 - April 11, 2025