Cecilia Carr

Cecilia Faulkner Carr, lovingly known as Ceil or CeCe, passed away on Monday, May 4, 2026. She was born on August 29, 1943, in Darby, Pennsylvania, to Neil and Helen Faulkner.

Ceil was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister, and friend. She enjoyed watching Hallmark movies, Judge Judy, and game shows, and she was well known for her love of entertaining. A gifted hostess, Ceil delighted in decorating her home for holidays and planning gatherings down to the smallest detail. Her celebrations were so thoughtfully arranged that her friends affectionately nicknamed her “Martha Stewart.”

In 1975, Ceil moved with her young family to Hendersonville, Tennessee, where she became the heart and soul of the Carr family, always ensuring their physical, emotional, and spiritual needs were met. She was also a successful entrepreneur, co-founding and co-owning Worldwide Travel Agency, where she worked for 30 years. Through her work, Ceil traveled to many parts of the world alongside dear friends and family.

Ceil was a long-time parishioner and active member of Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church. In the church’s early years, she served on the Welcoming, Bereavement, and Decorating Committees and participated faithfully in Eucharistic Adoration for more than 20 years. Above all, Ceil’s greatest love was her family, and her warmth, laughter, and unwavering devotion will be deeply missed.

Ceil was preceded in death by her parents; her daughter, Tricia Carr; her son-in-law, Bob Gillespie; her sister and brother-in-law, Jo-Ann and Steve Smith; and her brother, Bob Brennan, and his wife, Barbara.

She is survived by her loving husband of over 61 years, Jim Carr Sr.; her daughter, Kristan Gillespie; and her son, Jim Carr Jr. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Katelyn (Nate) Lindberg, Patrick (Emily) Carr, Tricia (Phillip) Jones, Andrew Gillespie, Maggie Gillespie, Matthew Gillespie, and Michael Carr; her great-grandchildren, Palmer Carr, Annie Hayes Carr, Mabry Carr, and Georgia Jones; her brother, Neil (Mary) Faulkner; and numerous nieces, nephews, and extended family members.

A visitation will be held at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church on Friday, May 29, 2026, from 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will begin at 11:30 a.m., with burial to follow at 3:00 p.m. at Hendersonville Memory Gardens.