Merle Carlisle

Merle Julia (DeNeut) Carlisle, 98 of Kirksville, Missouri, passed on to heaven on September 24, 2025. Merle was born on December 20, 1926 in Iowa City, IA to Clair Whittier DeNeut and Sophia Laura (Glienke) DeNeut. She graduated from LaPorte City, IA high school and later married Roger Warren Carlisle on November 12, 1949.

Roger and Merle had three children: Roger Clair Carlisle, Laurie Lee Carlisle, and Anthony Paul Carlisle.

Merle was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and three brothers Richard DeNeut, Jean DeNeut, Jack DeNeut and a grandson Jason Carlisle.

She is survived by her three children, four grandchildren: Nathan Kofron, Jeanie Ingram, Luke Beverlin, Haily Carlisle, and nine great grandchildren.

She enjoyed cooking, fishing, gardening and spending time with family.

Merle Julia Carlisle, Mom, Grandma, Great Grandma, was a woman of many talents and gifts. She grew up learning it was important to save since she grew up during the depression. She was a US Naval wife, so she learned she had to be Mom, Dad, the handyman, cook, gardener, money manager, home buyer and food preserver. In fact, food preparation was a big part of her life. She and her mother ran a restaurant after she graduated from high school in La Porte City, IA. She also was the head cook at a restaurant lodge in Arkansas and ran her own restaurant in Arkansas. She was the head cook at the Vinton, IA blind school. She learned plumbing because she helped her dad who had a plumbing business. She learned welding when she also helped to make bombs during WWII. She made her own wine.

She was always looking to learn something new and was willing and able to help roof their home in Arkansas, pour and level out cement for a portion of the foundation, and lay brick with her brother for the home they lived in, in Arkansas. Her favorite past time was fishing.

There will be a private family ceremony to be determined at a later date. One thing she tried to master was speaking German, so we close with this: Iche Liebe Dich Aufweiderhasn (I love you, until we see each other again).