LINDA DARLENE GRIFFIN CARNEAL

LINDA DARLENE GRIFFIN CARNEAL, longtime Certified Public Accountant in Fayette County and a Founding Member of St. Philip The Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville died Wednesday morning, December 23, 2009 at the Baptist Memorial Hospital in Memphis where she had been a patient for two months. She was 64 years of age and died following an extended illness.

A Funeral Mass for Mrs. Carneal was conducted at 3 P.M. Sunday, December 27th at St. Philip The Apostle Catholic Church in Somerville with Father Stephen Kenny, officiating. Special Remarks were given by family members and Rev. Ron Brooks, a special friend and former Rector of Saint Thomas Episcopal Church in Somerville. Interment followed in the Carneal Family Cemetery near Moscow. Arrangements were provided by Peebles Fayette County Funeral Homes-Main Chapel of Somerville.

Mrs. Carneal was born December 30, 1944 in De Valls Bluff, Arkansas. She was preceded in death by her parents, Harry Andrew Griffin and Dorothy Fern Shelman Griffin.

She received her education in Shelby County graduating from Sacred Heart High School and State Tech College in Memphis and later earned her credentials as a Certified Public Accountant.

A former resident of Baltimore, Maryland, Mrs. Carneal later moved to her home on Highway 76 in the Moscow area where she had resided since 1979.

She was a well-known accountant in Fayette County for thirty years and developed a special closeness to her large clientele while seeing many of them on an annual basis while preparing their tax returns.

She was a loyal member of her church where she participated in numerous activities and functions.

A devoted mother and grandmother, she enjoyed vegetable and flower gardening. She had an enormous capacity for generosity, sharing her time and accounting services to those in need regardless of their financial circumstances.

Mrs. Carneal remained dedicated to her accounting practice and served her many clients tirelessly even until her recent illness and hospitalization.

Survivors of Mrs. Carneal include two daughters, Darlene Hart (Mitch) of Moscow and Jamie Carneal of Moscow; two sons, William F. (Billy) Carneal, III (Pam) of Caruthersville, MO and Mike Carneal of Moscow; her sister, Rosemary Sayre of Proctor, AR; two brothers, Dwight Griffin of Baton Rouge, LA and Bruce Griffin of Williston; thirteen grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by an infant daughter, Mary Catherine Carneal in 1989.

Those honored to serve as casket bearers were Andy Carneal, Jimmy Smith, Will Carneal, Cody Hart, T. J. Smith and Logan Carneal.

Matt Downey and Hayden Hughes served as honorary casket bearers.

The family requests that memorials be directed to St. Philip The Apostle Catholic Church, 11710 Highway 64, Somerville, TN 38068; Phone: (901) 465-8685.