Cary Alan Goode

Cary Alan Goode, age 57, of Knoxville, Tennessee, passed away of natural causes at LeConte Medical Center on Wednesday, April 9th. Cary’s family takes great comfort in knowing that he enjoyed a game of golf and dinner with friends before his sudden passing.

Cary was born on July 6, 1967, to Doug and Bettye Goode in Glasgow, Kentucky. He grew up in the beauty of multiple national parks as his father worked for the National Park Service. The family landed in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park where Cary graduated from nearby Gatlinburg-Pittman High School. He held onto his love for the Smokies for the rest of his life, enjoying day trips from Knoxville riding in his Jeep with his wife, Jennifer, by his side.

Cary continued his education at Tennessee Tech University (TTU) in Cookeville, Tennessee, where he graduated with a degree in Human Resources and Business. Cary was a member of the Sigma Chi fraternity and played on the rugby team, two organizations that shaped his college experience. Cary cherished his enduring relationships with his Sigma Chi brothers throughout his life. Cary was a human resources professional and spent much of his career at US Cellular, FedEx (formerly Genco), and, most recently, Music & Arts, a division of Guitar Center, where he worked closely with a team he loved.

Cary met his spouse, Jennifer, the love of his life, in Knoxville and they married in 2013. Cary and Jennifer were a loving team, enjoying life together by going to concerts and music festivals, camping, traveling, and spending time with the friends and family who meant so much to them.

Family was extremely important to Cary. He loved his children and bonus children deeply, and he was so proud of each of them. He treasured his close relationships with his parents, sister Lori and her family, and his in-laws, Jeff and Dana Dobson.

Cary loved life, especially playing golf with his dad, extended family and “golf buddies", building fires in the firepit for family gatherings, cooking for his family, listening to music, playing darts with his dart league, hanging out with the “soccer families” and other dear friends, enjoying the outdoors, and a well-mixed cocktail. In fact, not long before his death during a conversation over dinner with Jennifer and friends, Cary said simply, “If it makes you happy, do it.”

Cary was preceded in death by his grandparents, Clayton and Delsie Goode and Georgie and Marie Thomas. He is survived by his wife Jennifer, his children, Jon Tyler, Breyton and Cade Goode; bonus children Macy, Riley, Lindsey and Daniel Moon; his parents Doug and Bettye Goode, sister Lori Pendleton, her husband, Matt, their children, Luke and Anna, his children’s mother, Vicky Goode, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.

A celebration of Cary’s life will be held on July 13th from 2:00 – 5:00 p.m. at Admiral Pub in Farragut, Tennessee.

In lieu of flowers, you can memorialize Cary by donating to the American Heart Association, making an “Honor a Loved One” contribution on the Friends of the Smokies website, or giving to the Sigma Chi foundation by making a One Time donation to the Eta Delta Chapter.

Links to donate to these organizations are provided below