Vernon Orville Carden, Sr., age 87, of East Bernard, TX, formerly of Richmond, TX, died peacefully Tuesday evening, February 11, 2014 in Sugar Land, TX.

Funeral services will be 2:00 PM Saturday, February 15, 2014, at First Baptist Church, 1117 First Street, Rosenberg, TX 77471, with the Rev. Dr. Donnie Melton and the Rev. Zach Nicholson officiating. Burial will follow in Morton Cemetery, Richmond, TX.

Visitation hours are 5-8 PM Friday, February 14, 2014, at First Baptist Church, Rosenberg, TX.

Serving as Pallbearers are his grandsons: Lynley Carden, John Martin Carden, Thomas R. Culver, IV, Joshua Hubbell, Blaine Summers, Wesley Waymer, Allen VanSlyke, Chase VanSlyke, Mark Youens, and Kendall Wiley. Also serving are Greg Jeter, Al Martin III, Everette Ballard, Charles Monroe, and Dan Welch.

Orville was born October 23, 1926, in Neches, Texas to Vernon Wesley and Willie Mae Carroll Carden. He spent his childhood in Neches and graduated from high school in Palestine, Texas. He moved to Alvin, TX, where he met his true love, Helen Willeford. They married on June 25, 1944, before he joined the U.S. Navy. He served as a medic at the naval base in San Diego, CA, during WWII. Upon his return to Alvin he worked at the Martin Funeral Home and attended Landig Mortuary College where he graduated in 1946. He and Helen started their family in Alvin, TX, and moved to Rosenberg, TX, in 1956. In that year he began his new career with Fort Bend County's oldest funeral home, with its roots going back to 1865. Orville became partners with John Garmany in 1960 and they changed the name to Garmany & Company Funeral Home. They operated funeral homes in Rosenberg, Richmond and Needville. In 1970, Orville purchased Mr. Garmany's interest and expanded the funeral home business to include locations in Missouri City,and East Bernard, later changing the name to Garmany & Carden Funeral Directors, Inc. In the early 1970's he purchased Martin Funeral Home in Alvin, TX, and renamed it as Martin Carden Funeral Home. He retired in 2009, after over 60 years as a funeral director. In their later years, the Cardens moved to their beloved country home in East Bernard, TX. Last August, they moved to Cambridge Assisted Living in Rosenberg where they immediately enlarged their huge circle of friends.

Orville was devoted to his family, his profession, and his church. His generous and giving spirit extended far beyond his own family. He quietly provided a college education to several young men who are continuing to serve as a living legacy of his love and generosity. He served the community, touching hundreds of lives through the tireless and compassionate excellence he provided in funeral service. He believed that everyone should be honored with dignity upon passing to a new life. He taught his own children, and many other young men and women whom he employed, the value of ceremony to pay respect and to mark events. As a family owned and operated business, most of his children worked in the business at some time, especially his son, Don Carden, daughter, Debbie Carden and son-in-law, Shiles Hubbell. Providing personal care and support for those who have lost a loved one and treating every family as "family" was his paramount goal. This tradition is being carried on into the next generations through his daughter, Jan Culver, and his grandsons, Thomas R. Culver IV (Funeral Director in Charge) and Lynley Carden.

Orville served as Church Treasurer and a Deacon at First Baptist Church in Rosenberg for many years. He was a Mason and had received his 50-year pin. He was a member of the Golden Heirs Choir at Calvary Baptist Church and enjoyed his travels all over the United States with this choral group. Some of his best times over the years were spent playing "forty-two" with close friends.

Greeting him in Heaven were his parents; son, Donald Lee Carden; and daughter-in-law, Lauren Carr Carden.

He is survived by his loving childhood sweetheart of nearly 70 years, Helen Willeford Carden; children: Vernon Orville "Butch" Carden, Jr. and wife, Linda Leveridge Carden of Stockdale, TX and East Bernard, TX, Janice Marie Carden Culver and husband, Judge Thomas Ralph Culver, III, of Richmond, TX, Martin Dale Carden and wife, Marsha Brown Carden, of Richmond, TX, Debra Sue Carden, of Richmond, TX, Kellye Annette Carden Hubbell and husband, Shiles Daniel Hubbell of Mt. Pleasant, TX. He also leaves his grandchildren who lovingly knew him as "Papaw": Monica Morrow Battles, Lynley & Dawn Carden, Kiesha and Mark Youens, John and Haley Carden, Kathryn and Blaine Summers, Courtney Culver, Jacquelyn and Mark Hamm, Thomas and Kristen Culver, Virginia and Wes Waymer, Allen Van Slyke, Lindsey and Kendall Wiley, Chase and Paige Van Slyke, Joshua Hubbell, and Megan Hubbell. He is also survived by 17 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild; sister-in-law, Marjorie Worsham of Richmond, TX; sister-in-law, Wanda Cozad of Woodville, TX; and several nieces and nephews.

The family would like to give special thanks to the many caretakers at Cambridge Skilled Care/Richmond, Cambridge Square Assisted Living Center/Rosenberg, and The Atrium, who so lovingly cared for him these past months.

Memorial contributions may be made to South Texas Children's Home, P.O. Box 759, Beeville, TX 78104-0759, where Orville served as a Trustee from 1985 - 1993, or to First Baptist Church, 1117 First Street, Rosenberg, TX 77471.

Condolence messages may be written for the Carden family at www.garmanycarden.com.

Funeral services are under the direction of Garmany & Carden Funeral Directors, Inc., 1201 Fourth Street, Rosenberg, TX 77471 (281)342-4671.