Lydia Ann Carey, age 79, passed away peacefully surrounded by her family in the early morning hours of December 13, 2021 at Life Care Rehabilitation Center of Crossville, TN. She was born April 18, 1942 in Mt. Vernon, Ky. Ann was the daughter of the late Delbert Alexander and the late Bertha Reppert Vaughn. She was married to the late Kenneth B. Carey, Sr. of Crossville, who she spent more than 39 happy years with. They had two (2) children, Kenneth B. (Kenny) Carey, Jr. (wife Lynn) and Kimberly (Kim) Jean (husband James) Wattenbarger. Besides her children, Ann leaves behind her grandchildren: Kendra (Carey) Simonds (husband the late David Simonds), Andy Carey, Kennetha (Wattenbarger) Kilburn (husband Rick), Nate Wattenbarger, Jonathan VanWinkle, Cory VanWinkle, and Maria VanWinkle, many great-grandchildren and other family members she loved dearly.

Ann had an extensive career in the medical field that included starting the first Respiratory Therapy Department at Cumberland Medical Center. She served many patients over the years while working at Uplands and Windridge elder care facilities. She was a devout Christian who attended Lawrence Chapel Church. She loved the Lord and spoke to everyone about the need to be ready to go to Heaven when their time was over. She was the beloved "Granny Carey" to all little ones she met and a loving friend to everyone else. She served in many capacities in the Eastern Star and Ladies Shrine clubs of Cumberland County and took many trips to the Shrine hospitals to visit with the children.

Ann enjoyed gardening and visiting with everyone at the Farmers' Market and at her families' store on Plateau Rd. She loved tending to her flowers and vegetables, but most of all she loved being around people. She never let you leave without telling you she loved you, and when she said it, you knew she meant it.

The family will receive friends on at Hood Funeral Home on Thursday, December 16 from 5 to 8pm. Ann will be laid to rest beside her beloved Kenneth in Green Acres Memory Gardens on Friday, December 17 after her memorial service at Hood Funeral Home that will begin at 1pm.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that you make a donation in Ann's memory to the Cumberland County Shrine Club to help serve the children of the Shrine hospitals. Donations can be mailed to Cumberland County Shrine Club, P.O. Box 3273 Crossville, TN 38557.