Judge Russell Campbell Carden, died Tuesday, July 11, at Alexian Healthcare, Signal Mountain, TN.
Judge Carden was born September 3, 1915, in Chattanooga, the third child of Frank S. and Frances Campbell Carden.
He was preceded in death by his brother, Frank S. Carden, Jr. and his sister, Alice Carden Holland.
His grandfather, William C. Carden was a Methodist minister, and two of his great grandfathers served as governor of Tennessee, William Hall, a Democrat in 1829, and William B. Campbell, a Whig, in 1851-53.
He was a graduate of McCallie School, and received his undergraduate degree (1937) and law degree (1939) from Duke University. At Duke he was a member of Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity and the varsity soccer team.
He married Edith Gary Donaldson, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James W. Donaldson of Chattanooga, in 1941, and had one daughter, Gary Russell Carden.
He was a Special Agent with the FBI, from 1941–1948, serving in Albany, NY, New York City, Savannah, GA and Myrtle Beach, SC.
In Chattanooga, he was an assistant attorney general under Corry Smith, and practiced law with J. Clifford Curry and L. C. Harris and with Moon, Harris and Dineen.
He was elected Judge of Criminal Court, 1st Division, 6th Judicial Circuit of Tennessee, and served from 1958–1982.
Judge Carden was a teacher, deacon, treasurer and elder at Central Presbyterian Church and was later a member of the First Christian Church and then Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church. He was active in the Kiwanis Club and the Big Brothers.
Over the years Judge Carden enjoyed handball, tennis, golf, boating and fishing.
Following the death of Edith D. Carden in 1977, Judge Carden married Frances Harris Wiggins, who died in 2001.
Judge Carden is survived by his daughter, Russell Carden Huber and her husband, Jack; grandchildren, Heather Carden Huber, Brian Campbell Huber and his wife, Leslie; great grandsons, Campbell Morgan Huber and James Louis Huber, all of Atlanta.
A memorial service will be held at Signal Mountain Presbyterian Church on Friday, July 21, at 11 a.m. with a reception to follow.
In lieu of flowers, the family request donations to Alexian Healthcare or your charity of choice.
Arrangements are by the North Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist.
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