Tad Carlisle

Tad Carlisle, 83, loving husband and father, of Wamego, KS, passed away on Tuesday, January 5, 2021. He was born on April 7, 1937, in Littlefield, Texas. He was adopted as an infant by Wayne and Nell Carlisle also of Littlefield and spent his youth there. He joined the U. S. Air Force in 1955 and served for 6 years, 18 months of which were spent in Japan during the Korean War. He was educated in South Plains College in Levelland, Texas and Texas Tech University in Lubbock, Texas, majoring in pomology or fruit culture. He worked in the customer service profession in California, Massachusetts and Texas for most of his life until retirement from the Austin Transit Authority. He served on the Cedar Park, Texas, Planning and Zoning Commission for several terms. Mr. Carlisle was a member of University Christian Church, The Manhattan Pearce-Keller American Legion Post #17 and the Manhattan, Kansas, Lion’s Club. He was active in Lions Clubs since 1983, serving as club president in Austin, Texas, and in several regional and zone level offices. In 2004-5 he served as Lion’s District Governor for north east Kansas and was awarded a Melvin Jones Fellowship, the highest international award. He is survived by four children: Carla Sue Pearson and husband Michael of Georgetown, Texas; Wayne Carlisle and wife Carri of Leander, Texas; Beva Jean Kellison of McDade, Texas; William Carlisle and wife Teresa of Amarillo, Texas; and two step children, James Cook, Jr. of Durham, North Carolina and Katharine Cook of Baltimore, Maryland, 11 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren, He is also survived by a sister, Starr Silva of Redding, California; four brothers, Larry Weaver and wife Lorena of Littlefield, Texas; Mike Berkowitz of Santa Rosa, California; Hank Berkowitz of Santa Rosa, California; and Pat Berkowitz of Brookings, Oregon. He was preceded in death by his late wife Linda Jean Sawyer Carlisle in 1994 and a son Steven Carlisle in 2004. In 1998 he married Margaret Keen Carlisle of Manhattan, Kansas, who survives of the home. At that time he moved from Texas to a country home in Wabaunsee, Kansas, where he planted an orchard of over a hundred fruit trees. He became known for his tours of his orchard, annual cider parties and for participating in several farmers’ markets. He also worked in the framing department of the Hobby Lobby store for a number of years towards the end of his life. Visitation will be held from 7:00 pm – 9:00 pm on Monday, January 11, 2021, at Carlson's IrvinParkview Funeral Home in Manhattan. Services will be held on Tuesday, January 12, at University Christian Church in Manhattan, at 1:30 p.m. with interment following in the Wabaunsee Cemetery. If you so desire, memorials may be made to either of the following: Manhattan Christian College Kansas Lions Sight Foundation https://kslionsdistrict17a.org/kansas-lions-sight-foundation/