Barbara Joyce Carden

Barbara Joyce Carden 

Las Cruces, NM

Barbara Joyce Carden was born March 7, 1936, in Versailles, Kentucky (KY) to her parents Millard C. Hartley and Evelyn R. Hartley. She was the youngest of six siblings which included MC Hartley, Mary E. Skinner (Hartley), Lois E. Welch (Hartley), William Lewis Hartley and James Lawrence Hartley.

She grew up on a farm and attended schools in Woodford County, KY. As a youngster, Barbara enjoyed life on the family farm where they grew tobacco, corn, and livestock. She loved roaming the property, playing with her siblings, and working on the farm with their parents. She graduated from Woodford County high school in Versailles, KY. After graduation, she moved to Lexington, KY, where she worked as a bookkeeper.

There she met her true love Frank F. Carden Jr. in 1956, and Frank was smitten with Barbara the first time he saw her. They were married March 2nd, 1957, enjoying over 66 years of loving marriage. Barbara and Frank were constant companions -- always supporting the other. Barbara continued to work as a bookkeeper while Frank attended the University of Kentucky. After his junior year, the couple moved to Beaumont, TX where he graduated from Lamar University. They moved to Stillwater, Oklahoma where Frank received his MS and PhD degrees in electrical engineering. After which, the couple moved back to Lexington, KY, where Frank worked at the University of Kentucky for a year.

In 1966, the couple moved to Las Cruces, NM where Frank accepted a professorship at NMSU. As Frank worked as a professor, Barbara became very active in faculty women activities and served as Vice President for one year. She organized and hosted many faculty events during their tenure at NMSU. She cherished her new community of Las Cruces which was a sharp contrast to the green hills of Kentucky.

Along the way, daughters Cathryn (born in Beaumont, TX), Lindie (born in Stillwater, OK) and Cyndi and Jan (born in Lexington, KY) and Patricia (born in Las Cruces) filled out the new family. With five young daughters to care for, Barbara threw herself into raising the girls and their activities. She was active in the girls’ schools and served as a leader for the Girl Scouts, Brownies and Blue Birds helping the girls and their schoolmates learn life skills. Barbara was devoted to reading Scripture every day and the family was active at the University United Methodist Church where the girls attended summer vacation Bible school. Barbara and Frank would often take the entire family back to Kentucky in the summers to reconnect with family and friends while introducing their girls to the rewards of life on the farm.

Barbara had a gift for making friends everywhere she went. Her gregarious warmth was infectious and before your conversation was over, she would know everything about you and your family – a friend for life.

In 1975, Barbara went back to school to obtain her bachelor’s degree in business computer systems at NMSU graduating in 1983 – an accomplishment of which the entire family was very proud. She taught computer systems for six years at Mesilla Valley Christian school helping the school introduce computers systems to the children when personal computing was in its infancy. After she left the school, she started a consulting business teaching accounting systems to local companies. Barbara served for many years as a volunteer with the Memorial Medical Hospital auxiliary where she served on the Board of Directors. During this time, she was nominated as one of the five outstanding women of Las Cruces.

As Frank’s career developed, the couple traveled to Thailand, Indonesia, Australia, London, Paris for academic conferences. While Frank was teaching all day long – Barbara the intrepid explorer would tour the cities and countryside making friends along the way in only the way Barbara could.

Barbara was an avid bridge player introducing Frank to the game early in their marriage. The couple often hosted lively bridge gatherings at their home with their friends and colleagues from NMSU. For decades, Barbara and Frank were active participants in Frank’s submarine alumni group where he had served on the USS Clamagore from 1953 – 1955. Barbara embraced this naval family like she did all people – enjoying time with Frank’s fellow submariners and making new friends.

In retirement, the couple would spend weeks touring the US and Canada in their fifth wheel camping trailer going to Yellowstone, Waterton and Glacier, and Badlands National Parks. They often traveled to see their daughters’ families in Colorado and Texas and made several family trips to the Bahamas enjoying the clear ocean waters and white sand beaches.

Barbara is preceded in death by her parents and siblings. She is survived by her husband Frank F. Carden, Jr., daughters Cathryn (Joe) Short, Lindie (Alex) Woodruff, Cyndi (Jim) Myers, Jan Madrid, Patricia Carden, and ten grandchildren and seven great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her memory to the Mesilla Valley Hospice & Palliative Care Center. https://www.mvhospice.org/

Funeral Services will be held at 11:00 am on Friday, December 1, 2023 at United Methodist Church. Burial will take place Friday, December 29, 2023, at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens at 11:00 am.