Jim L. Carlile

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jim's honor to The Lions Club through https://www.lionsclubs.org/en/donate.
On Saturday, May 27th, 2023, Jim Lawrence Carlile, 87, loving husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully of natural causes at his home in Georgetown, TX.
Jim was born on August 7, 1935 to Frank R. and Bertha Mae Carlile and was the fourth of five children.
Hours after his graduation from Altoona Rural High School, Jim and two friends left to find adventure in Wichita, Kansas. Jim found work with O.A Sutton working on fans and air conditioners. He later moved back to Altoona and worked for various farmers while waiting to be called by the draft board for which he had volunteered.
In August of 1954, Jim began his service with the U.S. Army. His basic and secondary training was at Ft. Bliss, TX, after which he was assigned to a Nike missile support battalion. This is where he finished out two years in the Army at the Red Canyon Range Camp near White Sands close to Carrizozo, New Mexico.
After his military service, Jim moved to Independence, Kansas to begin college. It was in Independence where he married Sue Ann Dannels and began raising a family as their two boys, Rusty and Kevin, were born. He went on to work there before moving to Pittsburg, Kansas where he worked for Helio Aircraft while obtaining his degree in accounting in1963. Upon graduation, Jim and family moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to work for Sunray DX Oil Company in accounting and computer programming roles.
After about five years, Jim's company offered him a two-year assignment in Liberia, Africa that he jumped at. Upon his return from Africa, Jim became the Comptroller of a company in Rolla, Missouri which was spun off from DX Oil and ran 450 service stations. Jim stayed there for about three years prior to moving to Houston where he and Sue Ann later divorced.
In 1980, Jim married Anne who had three girls, Debra, Carla and Beth. Unsurprising to those who were familiar with Jim's caring and loving personality, the girls all began proudly referring to Jim as their Dad. Jim worked in a couple of different consulting roles until his retirement in 1987. They then built a retirement home on Lake LBJ and lived there for many years. More recently, they moved to Georgetown, TX to be closer to family.
Both parents and siblings Vern, Irene, Erlene and Sally preceded Jim in death.
Jim is survived by his wife of 42 years, Anne, son Rusty (wife Mary Ellen) of Rolla, MO, son Kevin (wife Beth) of Rolla, MO, daughter Debra (husband Ed) of Houston, TX, daughter Carla (husband Gene) of Georgetown, TX, daughter Beth (husband Gary) of The Colony, TX, and several loving grandchildren, great grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild, all of whom will miss him VERY much.
Jim was a member of Highland Lakes United Methodist Church where he served as treasurer for many, many years. He was well respected and highly trusted, and worked hard to ensure the church was being good stewards with their finances.
Jim's civic service included Scout Master for Boy Scout Troop 160 in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where he led many young men to become competent, responsible and productive citizens.
Jim also worked tirelessly with Lions International/Buchanan Dam Lions, as their President, collecting eyeglasses to donate to others in need, and spent many, many weekends grilling Lions Burgers, and selling them to raise funds. He loved the grilled onions they made for the burgers, and mom said he smelled like grilled onions for weeks! He worked hard and was a dedicated man.
Before being called home to live forever in glory, Jim assured his family he had accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior. He was confident of his loving relationship with Jesus and knew the hope we have in Him as our Savior and King.
Stories from the family:
When Dad finally talked Mom into marrying him, I'm not sure he realized it was a package deal. Maybe that's why Mom kept turning him down. :) She wanted to be sure he really knew what he was in for.
After raising two sons, three girls became part of his life. Debra was in college, Carla soon moved on to college and then it was just me. And Mom. And "Carlile". That's what Mom has always called Dad. They worked together and there were several Jim's at the office so Dad went by Carlile. An old boyfriend actually asked Dad if his name was Carlile Carlile. :)
To have a teenage stepdaughter living at home must've thrown Dad for quite a loop. And I understand how difficult it must have been for him, but he NEVER let that show. EVER. I can't remember one time he raised his voice at me. One morning when we were at the breakfast table, Dad looked at the window and said, "BETH!! Where is your tailpipe?" Apparently, I lost it somewhere and even then, Dad didn't raise his voice at me! He didn't yell at me when I crashed into the boat dock or flooded the townhouse. Seriously I gave him many reasons to raise his voice and he just never did.
Dad didn't care much to talk about his feelings, but he was always there for mine. He, along with Mother, helped me navigate through all of the teenager things, college things, broken dreams everything. He showed me love, patience, kindness and self-control.
Dad taught me so many life skills. When I would come home from college, he'd make me change my oil and take off and replace a tire. I remember walking through the airport with him one time. He picked up a quarter. He said, "it all adds up." He was right about that. He taught me not to walk away when things got tough. He tried so hard to help me with my accounting class. Time after time he tried. I didn't get it. One day he finally said, "Hon I'm sorry, but I don't know what else to try." Turns out the same thing happened with Kevin! I just learned that this week. :)
When Dad and I were dancing at Gary's and my wedding reception in 1997, I asked him if I could call him Dad. Tears gently streamed down his face, and he said yes. We danced to "What a Difference You've made in my Life" by Ronnie Milsap. I never told anyone that when I was a broken and unhappy teenage girl, I decided that was my song for him. "What a change you have made in my heart. You replaced all the broken parts Oh what a difference you've made in my life."
His two favorite places are IHOP and the Lake House. Last Fall, I took him to IHOP and surprised him with a trip out to the lake. We drove quietly up the highway. Dad stared out the window. I got him in the house and he had to sit down on the sofa. He fell asleep and soon woke back up ready to walk to the boat deck. We sat quietly and we both took it all in. I knew that would be the last time I would be at the lake with him. I held his hand and I will cherish that day forever.
Dad's favorite food was biscuits and gravy so it's no wonder why he loves IHOP so much. Even before last year, we ate there just about every time I came into town. I took him to IHOP as many times as I could this past year. Each time was a little harder than the time before. I really thought our trips to IHOP had come to an end but one day after Dad's doctor appointment, I went ahead and asked Dad if he'd like to go to IHOP. I told him it was okay if he didn't feel like it. He wanted to go. We got to our table. Quickly after being seated, Dad put his head down on the table. I asked if
he wanted any food to go and he said no. I got him a coffee to go, got him back in the wheelchair and I knew that was the last time that my Dad and I would ever go to IHOP again.
I miss watching my Dad looking out at the lake. I miss him so much already. I miss the way he made people feel. And I miss the way he would look at mom.
I miss him calling me five minutes after he thought I should've made it home from Austin to Dallas if I hadn't called him yet. (Yes, even at age 57) I didn't know how much I would miss that. I miss his laugh, his sense of humor I miss him.
Dad - now I know that YOU are finally home. I know that you are whole again and that you are in the arms of Jesus. I am so honored that God chose you for us. It is truly a privilege to be your daughter. Thank you so much for being the best Dad I could've ever asked for.
Thank you so much for making such a difference in my life.
I love you so very much.
~ Beth Weers
Misc
· Skydiving at 65
· Scuba diving
· Water skied
· Forward somersault LANDING ON HIS FEET when catapulted out of our golf cart in Georgia. IN HIS SEVENTIES!!!
· Humble
He was the rock that held our family together when we almost lost Mother and all of the years that followed. He was so in love with her. Truly in love. He took care of her when she needed his help.
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Beth wanted me to send you the story of the first time I met Jim. We had come down to San Antonio so that we could meet each other's parents. We met Jim and Anne at the Double Tree where they were staying. Beth was sitting between Jim and I. The entire meal I had my hand on her leg and was rubbing it. After dinner Jim went up to Beth and told her that he didn't appreciate sitting there while I was rubbing his daughters leg!
~Gary Weers
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I am forever grateful that Dad was part of our life for so many years.... he taught us about love and sacrifice and being a good person to everyone...we are all better because of him.
I don't have tons of "stories".... I have little snippets, but I think what made Dad - Dad is his love for our mom and for us and his sons and being a pillar of goodness in our lives for sooooo long. I am forever grateful for him.
He was funny and loved to laugh with that twinkle in his eye. He loved to stay busy and give back to others. And he and mom loved to travel as much as they could.... things that come to mind:
He lived in Africa and the black (were they locusts or ants?) that would invade their compound turning the earth dark right in front of his eyes.
Cruises - Alaskan Cruise, Switzerland, Panama Canal, our Galveston family cruise in 2007
Vegas – He was always trying to keep up with Mom!
Volunteering - Lions Club, Highland Lakes United Methodist Church
He loved space and space travel, in his later years, he really enjoyed watching Gold Rush
He and mom loved to collect coins together through the years.
He loved to keep lots of old paperwork
He loved to work on motors and mechanical things....he was really good at figuring out how things work and fixing things that were broken.
I love and miss him so much.
~ Debra Tolliver
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On a particularly cold campout night in Oklahoma, Dad felll asleep while sitting on a Coleman cooler next to a roaring fire. He awoke very suddenly when he realized the plastic cooler and his nylon Boy Scout pants had melted to his legs. It was a night he never forgot.
~ Kevin Carlile
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Dear Dad-
What a good, good man you were! From loving and caring for mom, to raising three teenage girls (God bless you), and for your service to your community and church, no matter where ya'll lived. Thank you for teaching me so many life skills: from just figuring how to make simple repairs on just about anything, to teaching me that it's important to turn off my music in my car every once in a while, as I'm driving, so I can listen for any weird sounds that would alert me to a possible car or tire problem. For teaching me how to tie knots (I can't name them, but I can tie them!), for teaching me how to make grape jelly at the lake one July 4th weekend a long time ago after we picked the grapes from the river standing in the john boat (I can't believe we never tipped over) and going through every single step together in the grape jelly making and canning process, we both looked like surgeons coming out of the operating room after that adventure. But it was so worth it, when we heard those "pings", and of course, when we got to eat the grape jelly! For many years, in July, we would go looking for grapes up and down the river, and I have thankfully, already gotten to share this knowledge and process with sweet Chloe. Thank you for teaching me how to graft pecan trees so we could harvest more paper shell pecans from the "regular" pecan trees.
Thank you for walking me down the aisle and making me feel proud and supported. Thank you for loving my husband "Spike", thank you for loving Jennifer and Christopher so much. Thank you for all the things you taught them, showed them and did for them. I loved how everybody always thought that Jennifer looked just like you and how much you loved your first grandbaby (for 39 years!), and how you and Christopher had your little projects all the time, and how still to this day, he picks up every screw, bolt and nut he finds and it makes him think of you. The art easel you made for Jennifer and the wheelbarrow
you made for Christopher-I'm sure without a pattern of any kind-just you and pure love. The decades old family rocker that you repaired, painted and fixed up for Chloe's birthday with her name on it! So many wonderful, thoughtful gestures!
I have thoroughly loved living close to you and mom all these years-we have gotten to experience so much of life together: good times, bad times, great times and trying times even when you showed up at our door in Leander, and told me you thought you were having a heart attack and asked if I could drive you to the hospital (dad!!). Of course, you wanted me to take you to BS&W in Round Rock, we got there, it was still under construction so we had to go to the next nearest hospital (and we didn't have GPS then ) and I know my lack of direction drove you nuts all these years!! You could get anywhere, without GPS always blew my mind. I am so blessed to have been right there by your side. Over the last 11 years (plus), you had so much fun hanging out and spending time with your grandchildren Jennifer and Christopher, their spouses, Jennifer's Sean and Christopher's Jennifer, and of course Liam, Chloe, Charis, Grayson and Noah. Your "great-grands" loved you so very much! You sure got lots of good loving, hugs and kisses from them and them from you!
Thank you for the Mexican Train Domino games, Phase 10 games, all those cards games you taught me. New Year Eve's celebrations and for every single hour we've gotten to spend together. Thank you for being so strong and so courageous. For having such an incredible attitude and doing everything within your power to live a longer, healthy life. When I told you how proud I was of you for fighting so hard to slow down the progression of the cancer and how sorry I was that you were having to go through all of it, you simply said, "That's life." You taught me that anything worth having was worth fighting for. Dad, YOU were worth fighting for! I love you, I miss you, but I'll see you again in Heaven.
~ Carla Lawrence
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Carlile was very handy, and I am not. In the 80's he and I would leave on Thursday to prepare the lake house (mobile home) for everyone else. Almost every time we got there, we would have to repair something. And almost every time, I found a way to hit him with a hammer, gouge him with a screwdriver, or hurt him somehow. Yet, he was always patient and appreciative of my help. He was such a good guy he totally overlooked me hurting him as we made repairs.
~ Spike Lawrence