Thelma Belle Carlisle

Thelma Belle Sparks Carlisle

Funeral services for Thelma Belle Sparks Carlisle were held Monday, Feb. 19, 1996 at the Bader Funeral Chapel in Lusk. Reverend Mark Lohr of the Church of Christ officiated. Burial was in the Lusk Cemetery.

Mrs. Carlisle passed away Thursday, Feb.15, 1996 at the Chadron Community Hospital in Chadron, Neb. on her 89th birthday.

Thelma Belle Sparks was born to Archie LeRoy and Frances Hering Sparks on Feb.15, 1907 at Royal, Neb. The family moved to Wyoming in 1910 where they homesteaded south of Lusk, in what was later known as the Royal Valley Community. It was there that Thelma and her brother and three sisters were reared. As a small child, Thelma was stricken with polio and when about 10 years of age, spent months in orthopedic hospitals in St. Louis, Mo. and Topeka, Kan., which helped with her recovery. She attended school in the Royal Valley area and high school in Lusk. She later attended Barnes Business School in Denver, Colo.

Thelma was married to Harry Sheldon Carlisle on Aug. 20, 1934 in Chadron, Neb. The couple made their home in Lusk where Mr. Carlisle was a carpenter. While the couple didn't have any children of their own, they adopted Delores May and Kenneth Lee Blackmore, when but small children, raising them to adulthood, both graduating from Niobrara County High School. Mrs. Carlisle and her husband loved family get-togethers and were always a favorite, especially with the children. Following the death of her husband, Harry, on July 6, 1964, Mrs. Carlisle continued to make her home in Lusk.

She was a member of the VFW Auxiliary Post #3511 in Lusk for many years.

Mrs. Carlisle was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Harry; one brother, Julius Sparks; and a sister, Violet Sparks Shaber.

She is survived by her daughter, Mrs. Joseph (Delores) Strilowich of Ridgefield, Conn; two sisters, Mrs. Harold (Mae) Gautschi of Casper, Wyo. and Mrs. Ralph (Tillie) Roley of Melbourne, Fla.; three grandchildren and one great-granddaughter, numerous nieces and nephews and a host of friends, who will mourn her passing.

Memorials to the Lusk Senior Center would be appreciated by the family.

Bader Funeral Home was in charge of the arrangements.

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