Roger Carlisle

Roger Carlisle, 70, of Jonesboro peacefully ended his Earthly journey on Wednesday morning at 3:31 am at the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House.

Roger was born September 12, 1946, in Stuart, Nebraska, and grew up inspired by the landscapes of the Nebraska plains. It was this scenery that led Roger to pursue and obtain both a Bachelor and Master of Fine Arts degree from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. It was also during this time that he met his high school sweetheart and lifelong love Patricia (formerly Cuckler), of Fremont. Roger and Pat were married in Nebraska in 1970, and in 1974 moved to Jonesboro when Roger was hired by the Arkansas State University Department of Art.

During his 40 years of service to ASU, Roger taught drawing, painting, and served as an academic adviser to many students in the Fine Arts program. His patient, meticulous and caring teaching style was highlighted by his humor, often through his innate ability to inject a pun or a story about his roller-skating championship days in Nebraska, earning him the respect and admiration of his multitude of students. In addition to serving as an educator, he became one of the region’s most well known and revered artists. In 1986 he was selected out of hundreds of artists around the country to be commissioned by the United States Postal service to design a stamp commemorating the sesquicentennial anniversary of Arkansas’s statehood. He was the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions for his artistic talent, to include the 1987 National Park Academy of the Arts Award for Excellence; in 2003 Roger was commissioned by the Central Delta Historical Society of Brinkley to paint a mural to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Louisiana Purchase. Roger’s paintings can be found around the country in scores of galleries, public, corporate, and private collections. In December 2014, Roger was recognized by the ASU Faculty Association as a Distinguished Faculty member in honor of his 40 years of dedicated service to the university.

Roger is survived by his loving wife of 47 years Pat, his daughters Laura Carlisle of Jonesboro, and Melissa Foster of Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, and granddaughters Caitlyn and Jacqueline Foster.

Visitation will be held at Emerson Funeral Home on Friday, June 23, 2017, from 1:00pm to 3:00pm, with a memorial service immediately following at 3 :00 pm, with Reverend Patty Soward officiating. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, the Arkansas State University Department of Art, or the Flo and Phil Jones Hospice House.