Cora was born in Ware Shoals, S.C. to Marvin and Euraney Ridge Clamp. She was one of a few who graduated twice from high school. Once from the eleventh grade and then again the next year when the twelfth grade was added to the school curriculum. She went on to attend Erskine College. It was during this time that she met her future husband on a blind date with another couple, but not with each other. Upon her marriage to Bob Carlisle upon his graduation from The Citadel, they began married life in Baltimore Maryland, where Bob was in dental school at The University of Maryland and she worked as a secretary.   

With dental school completed, Cora and Bob returned to their home state of South Carolina where Bob opened his dental practice in Honea Path. Here, Cora became active in her community through First Baptist Church, the Garden Club, and as a homemaker, gardener, seamstress and Mom of two.

“Miss Cora” will be remembered for her kindness to others. Always willing to make a meal for a bereaved family or a family in need. Many families in Honea Path enjoyed her cold oven pound cakes, macaroni pie, chicken salad and her special sausage pinwheels.

She will also be remembered for her love of black poodles. She raised and loved three of them; all named Bridgett. In recent years, she loved her visits with Granddogs Maggie, Ozzy, Bailey, and Bella.

Cora loved to work in her yard. Gardening brought her much joy and her yard showed it. It was a multi-seasonal thing of beauty. Over the years she rooted clippings, planted seeds, bushes and trees until she had the acre plus lot just the way she wanted it. Hundreds of azaleas, flowers of all varieties, vines and plants of which she could name every one. There were numerous times that she accidentally stirred up a wasp or hornets nest and would suffer numerous stings. She would just take her Benadryl and laugh it off saying that they only got her a dozen or so times. She even made her own Christmas wreaths from magnolia tree leaves and other foliage from the yard in the winter time.

In her “retirement” years, Cora learned to quilt. She quickly became a master quilter, creating dozens of quilts in a variety of sizes and designs. One of her most unique quilts was made using Bob’s old neckties. All were hand stitched and will be cherished for years to come by various family members.

Also in retirement they took to the road. They always enjoyed visiting the near by mountains and beaches of South Carolina, but now their travels took them across and throughout the country on two wheels. They traveled to and through as many of the states as possible on one of several Honda Goldwings. Many of the trips coincided with the annual Honda “Wing Ding” convention that they loved to attend. They were so disappointed when the “Wing Ding” took place in Asheville, N.C. or even worse Greenville, S.C.!

Cora was the widow of Robert Olin Carlisle Jr., DDS who passed in 2007. She is survived by two children: Robert Olin Carlisle III and wife Amy of Honea Path; Abbie Burdette Slater and husband Tom of Greer; she is also survived by two grandchildren: Drew Burdette of Los Angeles and Avery Burdette of Greer as well as their father, David Burdette of Greer.

The family would like to thank the staff of NHC Anderson for their compassionate care provided to Cora over the past three years. They would also like to thank personal caregivers Gerry Sawyer, Gail Ficklin and Patsy Strickland for their support and friendship with Cora. A special thanks to Claudette Hughes for her many visits and personally delivered “suppers” and to Cora’s neighbors in Honea Path who kept a watchful eye over her as she went about her yard work well into her eighties.  

In keeping with Cora’s wishes, there will be a graveside service at Greenwood Memorial Gardens on Monday, July 13^th at 11:00 AM. Due to Coronavirus concerns, family and friends are welcome (but not expected) to attend. Facial coverings and social distancing will be required of those in attendance.

If you would like to do a special remembrance for Cora, here are some suggestions:

• Plant a Japanese Maple tree, like the many that grow in Honea Path that she shared from seedlings.
• Plant some type of flowering shrub like an azalea or Gardenia and think of her when it blooms.
• Visit, call or send a card to an elderly neighbor or someone in a nursing home or assisted living facility. They are lonely and isolated.
• Thank a care provider for ALL they are doing to keep us all healthy. It’s a tough, thankless job and they need to know that they are appreciated.
• Make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association.

The family is at their respective homes and will speak with friends after the service on Monday. Messages of condolence may be made to the family at www.ParkerWhitePruitt.com