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                              Obituary for Edwin Anderson Carlisle
 
              News of the death of Edwin A. Carlisle, veteran
         retail sales manager and member of the Board of Directors
         of The Springfield Metallic Casket Co., Springfield,
         Ohio, shortly after midnight of October 23, 1939, at St.
         Luke’s Hospital, in Kansas City, Mo., came as a shock to
         the casket industry and the funeral profession,
         particularly his innumerable friends with whom he had
         fraternized only a fortnight before, during the national
         convention at Oklahoma City. Following a week of activity
         at the convention Mr. Carlisle, in company with F. K.
         Whipple, general manager, had gone to visit the company's
         Kansas City branch. While there he was taken critically
         ill and rushed to the hospital. Despite the best of
         medical care his condition did not improve and death
         resulted from lobar pneumonia.
              In the passing of Mr. Carlisle the casket industry
         has lost one of its most lovable and noble men, whose
         indefatigable efforts and high principles always served
         as a helpful example for the younger men, not alone in
         Springfield’s nation-wide organization, but throughout
         the trade. Invariably placing serve before self interest
         he enjoyed the close friendship of all who knew him and
         whom he stood ready to serve at all times. Although but
         62 years old, he had been associated with Springfield
         Metallic for about thirty-six years. During the last
         twenty-four years he was retail sales manager. In this
         capacity he traveled throughout the country, and was
         widely known among casket manufacturers and funeral
         directors as a champion for quality and value in funeral
         merchandise and for highest standards of service to the
         public. Early this year he was elected a director of the
         company to which he had devoted his life's work.
              Born in Newberry, S. C., May 1, 1877, the son of
         Judge M. A. Carlisle, who for years presided over the
         jurisdiction of Newberry. Mr. Carlisle received his early
         education at Newberry College, from which he was
         graduated with high honors. His close association with
         his father resulted in an outstanding knowledge of
         business law and ethics, which he applied to his business
         activities in later years. He continued his studies at
         the Poughkeepsie (N.Y.) Business College from which he
         was also graduated with high honors. Some of the medals
         he received for scholastic accomplishments are among the
         highly prized possessions of his widow and surviving
         daughter, Elizabeth, who is, in turn, bringing honor to
         the family through her exceptionally brilliant work at
         Tudor Hall, Indianapolis, md., and at Smith College,
         Northampton, Mass. Her name, listed in “Who's Who Among
         College Students” for 1939, is an index of her leadership
         in education.
              On completion of his early academic training, Mr.
         Carlisle was employed by the bank in his native town.
         While thus engaged his work came to the attention of
         Frank Allen, who was then covering the south as a
         representative of the hardware division of the
         Springfield Metallic Casket Company. So impressed was Mr.
         Allen with the ability and courtesy characteristic of Mr.
         Carlisle that he subsequently invited him to join
         Springfield's sales organization. For twelve years Mr.
         Carlisle traveled the southern territory as sole
         representative. He ultimately built up a reputation, as
         one of the industry's outstanding salesmen and his older
         associates often spoke of his success with a warmth and
         enthusiasm instilled by the sincere, untiring efforts
         characteristic of Mr. Carlisle. In 1915, he was called in
         from the road and rewarded for his success by being
         appointed general manager of the company's retail sales
         throughout the country. That year he married Laura Mae
         Hufford, of his native town of Newberry, S. C., and took
         up his residence in Springfield. His home was his hobby,
         and his devotion to his wife and family reflected the
         noble character of the man, for which he was so widely
         esteemed. It was during his administration of the affairs
         of the company's retail division that branch sales
         offices were established in Kansas City, Mo., Omaha,
         Neb., Philadelphia, Pa., and Detroit, Mich. During his
         twenty-four years as retail sales manager the personnel
         of his department grew from a few employees to an
         organization of over forty people. In speaking of his
         capacity for work, his associates pointed with pride to
         the fact that when Mr. Carlisle relinquished his southern
         territory to become retail sales manager, three men were
         placed in the field to continue his former activities.
              His obvious interest in people throughout his life
         led him into many fields of civic, social, and other
         phases of community life, but his devotion to his
         business resulted in his giving up those interests, with
         but one reservation, which was his church life. He
         continued his long affiliation and activities in the
         Presbyterian church and was for years an elder in the
         Covenant Presbyterian Church, at Springfield. He was
         particularly active as Springfield Metallic’s
         representative in the days of the formation of NRA codes,
         and was a regular attendant at manufacturers’ and funeral
         directors’ meetings through out the country, always ready
         to give of his knowledge and long experience in promoting
         the best interests of the crafts to which he was so
         devoted.
              Funeral services were held from his home in
         Springfield on October 26. Interment was at Asheville, N.
         C. Among the pallbearers were: W. S. Smith, Jr., and Dan
         Wood, of Kansas City; W. S. Stauffer, Philadelphia; D. B.
         Frazey, OMaha; F. W. Riehl, Detroit; C. 0. Mezger,
         Schnectady, N. Y.; G. H. Stinchcomb, Springfield, and Ed.
         J. Larson, Chariton, Iowa. To Mrs. Carlisle and daughter,
         and to The Springfield Metallic Casket Company, goes the
         deepest sympathy of the industry in their loss of so fine
         a character as was Edwin A. Carlisle, of whom his
         associates have always said, “He gave everything he had
         to his work, and he had much to give to his industry and
         his friends, who profited by his service and acquaintance
         with him.”



 
Additional information I have received from the Internet.

Edwin married Laura Mae Huffard on July 21, 1915.  She was the daughter of Samuel Rush Huffard and Elizabeth Jane Buchanan. (Please note the obituary notice above spells the name as Hufford.)

Their daughter, Elizabeth Renwick Carlisle, married Thomas Elton Jones.

Edwin and Laura were both from Newberry and living in Springfield, Ohio.  Why was he buried in Asheville, NC?