Dr. Bobby Kenneth Carden

Dr. Bobby Kenneth Carden, of Bladenboro, NC, was called home to be with the Lord in the evening hours of Wednesday, July 22, 2026, while at UNC Southeastern Medical Center in Lumberton, NC, at the age of 93. He was born in Nash County on April 17, 1933 to the late Coy and Carrie Carden.

Dr. Carden was first and foremost a man of God. He spent a lifetime sharing the word of God and touched countless lives through multiple platforms. As a young man he served his country in the United States Army during the Korean War and received five battle stars. Upon accepting the call of the Lord, he began preaching and evangelizing to people from all walks of life. His voice has been heard through radio on channels, WFMA-Rocky Mount, WTIK-Durham, WYAL-Scotland Neck, and WTSB-Lumberton. His longest standing "Voice of Revival" on WSTS-Winston Salem has been running 40 years straight.

 Dr. Carden pastored seven churches with his final retirement from this life at his home church White Oak Freewill Baptist in Bladenboro after 40 years of serving with grace and humility. He has had four published books, led mission trips all over the world including NC, SC, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Mexico and held revivals at a vast array of churches and college campuses. He had a heart for the lost and reaching those in the prison systems of multiple counties in both North and South Carolina.

This fisher of men and disciple of Christ answered the call to go out into all the world and compel them to come in with compassion and empathy. He now has answered a different call, the call of "Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joys of the Lord." And although he is absent from this world, the sound of his voice, that voice of revival will remain in the minds and hearts of all and in the hope that some lost soul will find their way to the cross. 

Left to carry the legacy are his children, Mark Carden (Sherry), Philip Carden (Jill), Lynn Hughes, and Cathy Wheeley (Gary), siblings Homer Carden (Bernie), Donnie Carden (Sherry), Tony Carden and Brenda Carden Walls, eleven grandchildren, 22 great grandchildren, and four great, great grandchildren who will forever cherish the memories made and the lessons taught from their beloved father, brother, and grandfather. He also leaves behind a host of fellow ministers of Christ and countless friends he met on his journey.

 Dr. Carden was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Peggy Lou Carden, two children Max Carden and Pam Carden Richards, as well as four siblings, Billy Carden, Elmo Carden, Jerry Carden and Magdalene Hudson.

The family will receive friends on Monday, July 27th at the Bladen Gaskins Funeral Home in Elizabethtown from 1-2:45 pm. A funeral service will follow at 3 pm with Reverend Tom Wagoner, Reverend Buddy Seay, Reverend Billy Cashwell, Evangelist David Pait, and Reverend Rusty Rogers officiating. A graveside service will be held on Tuesday, July 28th at 11:00 am in the Brier Creek Memorial Gardens at 7601 ACC Blvd in Raleigh, NC. 

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the Freewill Baptist Children's Home, P.O. Box 249, Middlesex, NC 27557 or fwbchildrenshome.org. 

Upon direction of their Dad, the children would like to express their gratitude for the excellent compassionate care from all of the staff at UNC-Southeastern Hospital, Emergency Department, 3rd Floor South-Intensive Care Unit. He requested in particular to acknowledge his surgeon, US Army Reserve Major Peter Edelstein, whom he formed a special bond with.