Linda Carlen

Linda Puckett Carlen, raised in Smithville, Tennessee, was born on May 4, 1943, and died on May 18, 2017. She was the daughter of the late Milns Thoburn Puckett and the late Alvilda Shanks Puckett. Linda was deeply loved by her family and numerous lifelong friends. She was a loving wife and mother, an avid tennis player, and a talented, accomplished gardener who never tired of improving her skills and knowledge. She graduated from the Greenbrier School for Women in Greenbrier, West Virginia, and also earned a Bachelors Degree from Tennessee Technological University in Cookeville, Tennessee. Linda's happiest days were spent taking care of her family, playing competitive tennis, and working in her well-known, beloved gardens. Perhaps Linda's selfless devotion to others combined with her graciousness, kindness, and thoughtfulness are what marked her as an extraordinary woman to all who knew her. She is survived by her husband, Walter Whitson Carlen; her son, Whit Carlen; her daughter, Malinda Carlen Little and her husband Ford Little; her grandchildren, James Little and Carlen Little; her stepmother, Mary Jo Puckett; her sister-in-law, Katherine Smith Puckett; her stepsister, Merle Sandlin; and many cherished nieces and nephews. Her family is deeply grateful for all the loving care and devotion Linda received from her support team and caregivers: Rhonda Fisher, Lori Griggs, Amy Hite, Ruby Howell, Cindy Melton, Lori Miranda, Diane Shaver, Krystal Staggs, and Sean Sullivan. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to TTU School of Human Ecology, Box 5035, Cookeville, TN 38505. The family will receive friends Monday, May 22nd from 10:00 am-12:00 pm prior to a memorial service at 12:00 pm at the Jefferson Avenue Church of Christ. Buddy Johnson will officiate at the service. Hooper, Huddleston, & Horner Funeral Home in charge of arrangements, 931-526-6111.