Ruth LaVerne (Powell) Carlile

Ruth LaVerne (Powell) Carlile of Kettering,Ohio passed away Saturday, November 8, 2025, at The Carlyle House at the age of 102.

Ruth was born June 29, 1923, in Evansville, IN, to Robert Foster and Ollie Beatrice (Wilson) Powell. She was preceded in death by brothers, Walter Edgar Powell, Raymond Foster Powell an Gene James Powell; sisters, Cora Mae (Hawkins) Nichols, and Dorothy Lee (Powell) Faught. She was also preceded in death by husbands, Charles William Thomson and Wayne Edward Carlile.

During WWII, Ruth supported the war effort in Evansville at Faultless Caster, Republic Aviation and Briggs factories inspecting ammunition and working on airplane wings. When the war ended, she worked at Servel until returning servicemen needed employment. Later  she did accounting work and was manager of the Evansville Store Beauty Salon at Lawndale Shopping Center for many years.

Since 1952, Ruth had been a member of St. Lucas United Church of Christ in Evansville. Ruth had a love of antiques and spent many happy hours with like-minded friends at local antique shops, auctions, and rummage sales. She engaged in more than a few competitive games of Clabber with family and friends, some of which ran well past midnight. Over the years Ruth pursued an interest in genealogy and connected with others who also shared interest in the Wilson and Powell family trees. She enjoyed sewing, quilting and needlepoint. 

In 2013, Ruth entered the Good Samaritan Home. In 2016, she moved to The Carlyle House in Kettering, Ohio near family.

Ruth is survived by daughter, Dana D. (Thomson) Winfield; granddaughters, Mary Elizabeth Winfield (Jacob) Feldman and Rebecca Jane Winfield (James) Peterson; great-grandsons, Dexter Espy and Emmett Feldman; great-granddaughters, Bella and Alina Peterson. She is also survived by niece, Gloria (David) Halbig; and nephew, Brent Powell.

The family wishes to thank the St. Lucas U.C.C. family for remembering Ruth with their many notes and cards during her later years. A special thanks to devoted neighbors and friends, Sherri and John Bittner, for their many years of love and assistance. Thank you to friends who maintained contact over the years with phone calls and cards.

The family would like to express gratitude to the staff of the Good Samaritan Home in Evansville, Indiana and The Carlyle House in Kettering, Ohio for their patience and compassionate care given Ruth over the years. Also thank you to Bethany Hospice who provided loving care to Ruth in her last days.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Boone Funeral Home East Chapel, 5330 Washington Avenue, Evansville, IN. Visitation will be held on Saturday, November 15, 2025, at 11:00 am until the time of service at 12:30 pm. Burial will follow at Park Lawn Cemetery, Evansville, IN.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Lucas U.C.C., 33 West Virginia Street, Evansville, Indiana 47710. Expressions of sympathy may be made to the family online at boonefuneralhome.net

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