In Loving
Memory

Richard Otis (Dick) Carden

January 19, 1931 – September 12, 2023

Richard Otis (Dick) Carden, 92 of Richmond, died Tuesday, September 12, 2023.

Dick was the retired editor and publisher of The Virginia Engineer magazine. He is survived by his wife, Georgeen Dahlem Carden; four children from a previous marriage, Richard II, who preceded him in death (Patty), of Hanover, W. David (Susan) of Cumberland, Susan Baskette (Roland) of Cumberland, John Earl (Jan) of Cumberland: and two step-children Stephen Garfield of Texas, and Bonnie Garfield (Keith) of Pennsylvania. He is also survived by six grandchildren  Jessica Sharp, Elizabeth Carden, Isaac Porter Carden, Robert K. Lipscomb, IV, Sara Welton and Megan Richardson; and step-grandchildren Leah Gonzalez and Joel Garfield. He has nine great-grandchildren; and four step-great grandchildren.

Born in Richmond on January 19, 1931, his early years were in Victoria, VA, where his father, Roscoe, was a lawyer. Dick’s mother, Francis Otis, was a retired Director of Public Welfare for the City of Hopewell. An honors graduate of both Greenbrier Military School (1949) and Washington and Lee University (1952), he later earned a master’s degree at the University of Richmond. Dick was Chief of the Suffolk Bureau for the Norfolk Ledger-Dispatch, and ended a 10-year newspaper career to become the first Director of Public Relations for the Virginia Retail Merchants Association. He later became Executive Director of the Virginia Society of Professional Engineers, a position he held until he resigned in 1972 and became owner/publisher of The Virginia Engineer.

After retiring, he built and flew his own airplane. Dick and his wife lived in Cumberland County for more than 40 years before moving to the Masonic Home of Virginia in 2016. An active Episcopalian, he served as both Parish and Cure Warden; he was a past president of the Cumberland Farm Bureau and the Farmville Chapter of the Experimental Aviation Association, and served on the boards of the Cumberland Public Library, Cumberland County Meals on Wheels, and the Cumberland Community Christmas Mother. Dick was a Past Master of Cumberland Masonic Lodge and was a District Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Virginia. After moving to Richmond, he became active in the Varina Food Pantry, an outreach activity of Varina Episcopal Church.

A memorial service with reception following will be held at 11 a.m.  on Monday, October 2, 2023. at the Masonic Home of Virginia, 500 Masonic Lane, Richmond,VA 23223.

Interment will be at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, October 3, 2023 at Grove Church Cemetery, Old Buckingham Road, Cumberland, VA 23040. Heading west on Old Buckingham Road (Rt 13) from Powhatan,VA the cemetery is located on the left just past Sunnyside Road. Heading east on Old Buckingham Road (Rt 13) to Powhatan,VA from Cumberland Courthouse, the cemetery will be on the right just past Strawberry Hill Road.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Varina Episcopal Church Food Pantry, 2385 Mill Road Henrico, VA 23231 or the Masonic Home of Virginia, P O Box 7866 Richmond, VA 23231.