Charlotte Sue Edmundson Cardin was born on Tuesday, April 14, 1936, in the Bethel Community of Giles County. She was the firstborn daughter of Elizabeth (Hickey) Mitchell Edmundson and Robert (Bob) Barnes Edmundson.
Sue attended grade school at Stella and Minor Hill Schools, where she was an excellent student and a star basketball player. She pulled for Minor Hill against Giles County High as long as Minor Hill had a basketball team. She went on to graduate from Martin Methodist College, where she met her future husband, Tommy Cardin. She spied him the very first day of school in the registrar’s office after noticing his fine car on campus.
Sue went on to Memphis State University as a married woman during the time Elvis was wildly popular. Fans stole grass out of his yard and water out of his swimming pool, as Sue told it. Tommy and Sue moved to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for Tommy to attend business school at the University of Alabama. Their baby daughter Karen joined the ride to pull for the Tide! Bear Bryant was leading the team during their time in Tuscaloosa. Sue became a lifelong Alabama fan, and her son Jim Cardin, granddaughters Kate Downing Cardin and Sara Elizabeth Cardin, and grandson T Spivey all attended the University of Alabama.
After living in Tuscaloosa, the young family moved to Donelson, Tennessee, for Tommy to work as an accountant for Matlock & Cope Trucking Company. They loved their neighbors and were sad to leave the life they had made on Cloverdale Road, but family matters called. They returned to Pulaski, where Tommy went into business with his father at Clarence Cardin Distributing. Karen started fifth grade, and Jim started first grade in their parents’ home county.
Sue was an avid gardener and member of a garden club in Donelson. After moving to Pulaski, she organized the Richland Garden and Art Guild on August 23, 1971. She served as the first President of the club, which maintained a membership of about 24 at any given time over the years. On December 14, 2020, the club had its last meeting and honored Sue at the home of Cynthia and John Lancaster. Sue opened the Pulaski Garden Center near the square, where she drew landscaping plans for the public and sold plants and small gifts throughout the 1970’s.
Sue grew up in a very competitive home and was a serious Rook player. She was even better at Bridge. She played with the same group of ladies for over fifty years; those friends described her as a “cagey” Bridge player. In addition to playing cards, she enjoyed tennis, gardening, collecting antiques, reading, and traveling. She was on the Giles County Public Library Board for many years, and after retiring from the board, joined one of the library’s book clubs.
She and Tommy, when they were not traveling, loved entertaining friends and family at their river house in Rogersville, Alabama. Sue could often be heard in her slow, southern voice say,“Tommy thaair goes another baargge.” Sue was a perfect hostess and an impressive chef. She prepared three meals a day – at home and at the river – and you’d better be there to eat!
In addition to Alabama Football, Sue was a Vanderbilt University basketball fan and an Atlanta Braves baseball fan. She kept up with the players and where they came from. Sue and Tommy attended the SEC Basketball Championship Tournament with a group of close friends for years. It won’t surprise you that Sue was thrown out of the World Trade Center Bar with Beer Convention friends in the eighties for yelling “Roll Tide” one too many times!
Sue’s life was one of contrast and grace. Sue went from growing up on a farm where she milked cows and picked cotton to cruisin’ in her sea foam green Jaguar and sporting her signature Ferragamo shoes. Yet she never forgot her rural southern roots.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, Thomas Lee Cardin, daughter-in-law Kate Smith Cardin, parents Bob and Hickey Edmundson, in-laws Clarence and Sara Cardin, sister and brother-in-law Joy and Blaine McMasters, sister Dot Rackley, grandparents J. Clyde and Mary Barnes Edmundson and Mahlon and Gertrude Holt Mitchell, and two nephews Jay and Jon Edmundson.
Survived by daughter Karen Cardin Spivey (Steve) and son James Thomas (Jim) Cardin, four grandchildren Katherine Charlotte-Elizabeth (Kacey) Cardin (Jeff Zacharski) of Nashville, Thomas Cardin (T) Spivey (Megan) of Pulaski, Kate Downing Cardin of Nashville and Dr. Sara Elizabeth (Baby) Cardin of Huntsville, Alabama, 2 great grandchildren, twins Max and Mia Spivey. She is survived by her sister Metta Rone (Kyle) of Houston, Texas, and brother Ned Edmundson (Juell) of Pulaski, eight nieces and nephews, 17 great nieces and nephews, 14 great grand nieces and nephews, and a slew of cousins. She is also survived by various members of a special circle of lifelong friends that Tommy and Sue enjoyed, including the Lipman, Murrey, Lewis, Brown, Chiles, Baddour, McElroy, Davis, Southwood & Webb families. Sue was 89 years old when she passed peacefully in the presence of family.
The family extends heartfelt gratitude to Sheila Glover, owner of Springview Compassionate Care, caretakers Michele Aldrich, Marlene Houston, Ruby Like, Amanda Chapman, April Sellers, and Compassus Hospice Care. They also wish to recognize Mable White, who was like family and worked with Sue for over 40 years. These ladies and others over
the years cared for Sue Sue as they would a member of their own family.
Sue strived for perfection in everything she did. She cooked countless snickerdoodles and fried lots of chicken for Karen’s popular slumber parties. She attended baseball games for Jim and made it through his teen years. She made sure the family spent holidays on the farm with grandparents, cousins, aunts, and uncles. She loved her family – and could hold a grudge if you didn’t! She doted on her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She left her family and friends with many happy memories.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Pulaski First United Methodist Church, The Giles County Public Library, or the Stella Cemetery Fund.
Visitation will be held at the Pulaski First United Methodist Church from 3 pm to 6 pm on Monday, October 20, 2025. The memorial service will follow at 6 pm. with Rev. Zach Moffatt officiating. Burial took place prior to the funeral at Maplewood Cemetery.
Bennett-May & Pierce Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements for Sue Edmundson Cardin.
