WONDERFUL LIFE
By Don Napier
I write my “Wonderful Life” column in every edition of Crossville Life, about a person who lived a wonderful life. This issue’s subject is a man who used to live in Crossville, before making a big change in his life and the life of his children, moving to a small town in northern middle Tennessee, where he worked to make a small rural hospital successful.
Many of us were saddened upon hearing that former Crossville physician Art Cardona had passed away. He died May 5, 2016 while surrounded by his wife and six children. He was 89.
A native of Puerto Rico, Aristides Cardona earned a scholarship to attend college and medical school in Syracuse, NY. which resulted in bringing the personable young man to the states where he would build his legacy as a talented, caring physician.
I knew Dr. Cardona for many years and played many rounds of golf with him. He was an outstanding athlete and successful amateur softball coach. Art could play any kind of ball, but excelled in golf and softball. We made many trips together to Fall Creek Falls to play golf. He was also an accomplished tennis player.
When he moved to Crossville in 1957, he was the first Board Certified surgeon to be recruited to Cumberland County. He was involved in the construction of the old Cumberland Clinic in Crossville, along with William Weaver, who was the lab and X-Ray Supervisor at Cumberland Medical Center.
William Weaver, left, is shown with Dr. Art Cardona in a photo thought to have been made in the mid 1960’s.
Weaver and Cardona moved their families to Clay County, Tennessee, about 60 miles to the north of Crossville in 1965. Cardona had four daughters at the time: Bonnie, Linda, Maria and Renee. Weaver’s children were Danny, Dayna, Bob, Roberta, Amy and Walt.
My brothers and sisters and I basically grew up with Dr. Cardona and his family. All of his children were a bit younger than me, but I was acquainted with them all. And now, through the magic of Facebook, I have rekindled my friendship with them, especially Renee Cardona Clayton, who like me, now lives in Crossville.
Cardona was part of a group that got Clay County Hospital up and running. That project is what drew Art to the small northern Tennessee community of Celina. The hospital is still in operation today, some 50 years since it first opened for business. It’s now known as Cumberland River Hospital, a branch of Cookeville Regional Medical Center. Many Crossville patients followed Dr. Cardona when he made the move to Celina. To this day, you will hear his name mentioned occasionally, regarding his talent as a surgeon.
“My baby son was suffering from a condition that local doctors were unsure about how to treat,” said Crossville’s Oscar Elmore. “I got hold of Dr. Cardona up in Celina and made an appointment to take my son up there. Cardona performed a little-known and delicate surgery that made a huge difference in my son’s life. I was always thankful to Dr. Cardona for his talent and knowledge.”
In addition to his professional career, Cardona had a positive impact on amateur athletics in both Crossville and Celina. He was instrumental in starting the Women’s Church Softball League in Crossville. He also coached some of the most competitive women’s softball teams in Celina and later in Albany, Kentucky.
What I remember most about Dr. Cardona was his skill as a golfer. I was just learning the game and he was a seasoned player. He enjoyed teaching and was always involved in helping others to be better.
Cardona married Tammy Vaughn in 1976 and they had daughter Kristen Cardona, M.D., of Lenoir City, TN; and a son, Vaughn Cardona, D.M.A. of Dayton, TN. Art had eight grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.
In addition to his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, he is survived by three sisters: Lydia Cuevas and Almena de Jesus, both of Weston, Florida; and Irma Cardona of Bayamon, Puerto Rico.
