Carol J. Cardinal

On January 12, 2024, Carol J. Cardinal left Earth to enter the gates of Heaven.  She was preceded in death by her parents, W.G. “Buck” Graham and Betty E. Graham, her sister Elizabeth Anne Brown, brother, William “Bill” A. Graham, and niece, Hannah Brown. 

She is survived by her husband, Fred Cardinal, her sister and brother-in-law, Bonnie and Charlie Latimer, her sister-in-law, Pam Graham, her daughter and son-in-law, Paula and John Chapman, her son and daughter-in-law, Lance and Shellie Ayers, her stepdaughter, Kristen Cardinal, her grandchildren; Drew and Samantha Ayers, Caleb Ayers and Erika Terraras-Arias, Elizabeth Ayers, Leah and Jeremy Stott, Noah and Shilah Chapman, and Gideon Chapman. 

Carol grew up in Smyrna Georgia and loved spending time with family, friends, and loved serving God both inside and outside of the church. She served as the children’s pastor at several of the churches that she attended and served as the mission’s director for her church, Radiant Life. The love of Jesus in Carol was evident to all who knew her, and every life that she touched was better for it. Carol lived most of her life in Georgia, but she attended college at Southeastern University in Lakeland Florida, completed her bachelor's degree at Lee University, in Cleveland Tennessee and completed her master’s degree at Georgia State University.  She lived briefly in Frankfurt Germany. This is where her son, Lance, was born. They returned home to Cobb County where her daughter, Paula was born. Carol also lived in South Bend, Indiana and Catlettsburg, Kentucky, but ultimately returned to Georgia where most of her family lived.  Wherever she was, she made new friends and stayed connected with them throughout her life. Her husband, Fred Cardinal, put it best: “she was a Big heart with little feet”, moving around the world, touching the hearts and lives of everyone she met.  

A Memorial service will be held for her, February, 10th at 4 pm in the sanctuary of Life Church, 4100 King Springs Road, Smyrna, GA 30082, with Rev. Kevin Osborn, pastor at Radiant Life, officiating. The family will receive friends from 1:30-3:30 pm at Life Church prior to the memorial.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to her missions projects can be made to: Radiant Life Church, designated as missions.  The link to give online: <https://rlcag.com/give/> or to send checks: Radiant Life Church, 2460 Powder Springs Road, Marietta, GA  30064.

Online guest book at www.westcobbfuneralhome.com