
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?