SFC (Ret) John E. Carey

SFC (Ret) John E. Carey, age 54, resident of Fort Mitchell, Alabama, passed away on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 while serving his country with the U.S. State Department in Baghdad, Iraq. Funeral services are scheduled at the Chapel of Vance Brooks Funeral Home, 3738 US Hwy 431N, Phenix City, Alabama on Monday, February 22, 2021, 1 p.m. EST with Reverend Mike Reeves officiating. Interment with military honors will be held at Fort Mitchell National Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Sunday, February 21, 2021 from 3-5 p.m. EST.
John, son of Dr. Charles Wesley Carey and the late Beverly Jean Burgess Carey, was born August 13, 1966 in Shields, Illinois. He was retired from the U.S. Army, where he served his country honorably for over 20 years. During his distinguished military career he served in many stateside and overseas assignments including Friedberg and Frankfurt, Germany, Ft. Benning, GA, Ft. Bragg, NC, and Ft. Campbell, KY. John was deployed to numerous missions including Operation Joint Endeavor in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Operation Desert Storm (Gulf War) in Iraq, and Operation Iraqi Freedom (Iraq War). John was also deployed on several missions during his time in the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne). While serving, he received numerous medals and ribbons to include the Bronze Star; Meritorious Service Medal; Army Commendation Medal (6th award); Army Achievement Medal; South West Asia Service Medal w/Bronze Service Star (3rd award); Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; NATO Medal; Ku-Lib-Medal (Saudi Arabia); Ku-Lib-Medal (Kuwait); Combat Medical Badge (2nd award); Expert Field Medical Badge; Parachutist Badge; and Air Assault Badge. After retiring from the military, he began a career with the U.S. State Department, serving for the past 9 years in Kabul, Afghanistan as a team member on the US Embassy Emergency Response Team and in Baghdad, Iraq as a Site Lead for Embassy Security.
John consistently lived his life for others. He was always enjoying life with his family and friends. One of his favorite things was spending time on his beloved Beaver Island with family. John loved scuba diving; riding roller coasters, particularly at Cedar Point in Ohio; enjoyed target shooting; going hunting with his dad; traveling, especially on Caribbean and European trips with his wife; grilling for family and friends; working in his yard; physical fitness; playing darts; watching college football and rooting for both Alabama and Michigan; and watching movies, some of his favorites being comedies and animated films. But most of all, he enjoyed spending quality time with his wife. The family remembers John as the best husband, father, son, and provider that anyone could ever have wished for.
Other than his mother, Beverly, he was also preceded in death by his aunt, Lisa Burgess, and his uncle, Kirk Burgess. John is survived by his loving wife of 22 years, Lisa Carey of Fort Mitchell, Alabama; his father and mother, Dr. Charles and Terri Carey of Beaver Island, Michigan; two sons, Trey Forrester and his wife Kashmir of Columbus, Georgia and Brian Carey, also of Columbus; two sisters, Cheryl Anderson and her husband Pete of Houston, Texas and Jodi Morecroft and her husband Simon of Welwyn, England; one brother, Jason Tanner and his wife Kristin of Flushing, Michigan; as well as numerous nieces and nephews who were very special to him.