If you did not know Bill Carlisle, well, I have to say you just missed out. What a servant for the Lord and a heart of gold. I met Bill and his wife, June, in 2004 when I first joined a praise team at church. I'd only lived in Nashville 2 years, and was just beginning to find a place at church. Our worship minister at the time asked me to join he and his wife for dinner along with some other "new" praise team people. This is the night my life was forever changed by the immediate friendship I formed with June. We both sang alto and our voices blended so well, almost like one person. She was also so patient with me as I don't read music. She would always sing the notes for me when I was unsure of something, and then I could get it. I felt I'd known the Carlisle's forever. From the time we met that night in 2004, June and Bill took me under their wing as I was a single female and didn't have any family living in Tennessee at the time. I just lived down the road from them, which I had no idea when we first met. Funny how God works those things out. We started singing together on a praise team at Wednesday night church. June and Bill would stop by and pick me up every Wednesday night for several years. It later became our Wednesday night routine to stop by Sonic and eat before we headed to praise team rehearsal before church. I always looked so forward to Wednesday nights because they were so much fun. So many good memories from those times. We also traveled together to Tulsa, OK in 2008 to record a Praise and Harmony congregational CD. I will never forget that trip as it was in March, and we drove through a pretty heavy snow storm to get there. Bill was driving at the time, and he was as cool as a cucumber. That was just his way with everything. I never ever heard Bill raise his voice, he never complained, never spoke bad of anyone, and there was never a negative word that crossed his lips. He would tell me corny jokes all the time...I think just because I was usually one of the few who laughed and got them. :-) He referred to me as, "The skinny chick with the fat voice." I thought that was so cute, and it is still my favorite description of me. Bill used to play and sing on the Grand Ole Opry stage with his family, The Carlisle's. Some of you may have heard of them with their hit, "No Help Wanted". You would never know Bill was a Nashville Star as he was never one to make a big deal about it. He was such a humble man in every aspect of his life. I remember him telling me that he met Elvis Presley backstage at the Opry one time, and he said, "He was the nicest young man you could ever meet." I always enjoyed hearing his stories from his Opry days, how he knew Grandpa Jones, Chet Atkins, and Dolly Parton. It always fascinated this small town girl from Illinois who used to watch these people on Hee Haw, and Bill knew them personally. Bill loved motorcycles, and little did any of us know that a motorcycle would be his fate. He was injured in a motorcycle accident in November of 2010. I was at 1WORD practice the night it happened, and I remember us all being in shock. We immediately stopped what we were doing and prayed for June and Bill. Bill was left paralyzed from the neck down, and has spent the past two years of his life living that way. Numerous times in and out of the hospital with infections. His beloved wife, June, showed us all what it means to give selfless love during this time. She never once left Bill's side, and she and their 2 boys were the primary caregivers to Bill. Taking turns sleeping so they could take different shifts to make sure Bill was as comfortable as he could be. Even during this painful trial, I never heard Bill utter one complaint. He just didn't want to be a burden on his family and he would ask God to either heal him completely or take him home. God answered Bill on Saturday night, Dec. 1. Bill is now home with so many other saints who have gone before, and I know for a fact that he is singing and dancing again. I can almost hear him saying, "I can't wait for June to get here and see all the things I'm seeing. She will love it." Bill has touched so many lives in our church family. I'm just so blessed that he was a part of my life for the past 8 years. Through June and Bill, I met June's twin sister, Jane, who is also a blessing to me. The pictures above are all of us at the Tulsa recording. What a fun time that was. So to Bill, thank you for blessing my life more than you'll ever know. If more people had your personality this world would be a much better place. I'm so happy to know you're out of your pain now and you are feeling such peace. Just save us a place, buddy, because we're all coming to see you again soon, and you better be ready to do some singin' with all of us. What a wonderful reunion it's going to be!!
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