Thelma Lois Yerden Carlile, 75, of Big Spring went to her eternal home on Thursday, March 10, 2011. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Saturday, March 12, 2011, at Nalley-Pickle & Welch Rosewood Chapel with Dr. Greg Hall, president of Warner University, Lake Wales, Florida and Rev. Rhonda Thornhill, pastor of Crossway Church in Midland, officiating. Interment will follow at Trinity Memorial Park.The family will receive friends from 6 p.m. until 8 p.m. Friday, March 11, 2011, at the funeral home. Thelma was born, May 28, 1935, on the family farm in Allegan, Michigan to Elmer and Adah Yerden. She grew up bringing in the cows and gathering sap from the maple trees (fondly known as the "sugarbush"). She attended school in Allegan and graduated from Anderson University in Anderson, Indiana where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree and later a Master's Degree. She settled in Plymouth, Michigan to teach second grade and remained there until December 1969. After the tragic loss of her spouse, she met and fell in love with Cleo Carlile, her knight on the white horse. The fathers of Cleo and Thelma were roommates in college and their friendship helped bring the two together.After moving to Texas, Thelma taught second, third and fourth grades at Moss Elementary, in Big Spring. She was loved by all her colleagues and students. Life after teaching involved having time to explore the many creative avenues she enjoyed: singing and playing the piano, scrapbooking, traveling and participating in many clubs and organizations. She accomplished a lifetime goal when she created and published a cookbook, Mealtimes and Memories and was working on sequel, More Mealtimes and Memories. She was always involved in her church, helping out in the Sunday School Department and was an integral part of the music team.She is survived by her loving husband of 41 years, Cleo Carlile; her precious sister-in-law, Linda Lindell of Big Spring; four adoring children: daughter, Cyndee Eastin and husband, Darell of Ft. Worth; daughter, Beverly Paul and husband, Ervin of Midland; daughter, Deanna Gross and husband, David of Keller; and son Joey Carlile of Big Spring; 7 grandchildren: Daniel Beauchamp, Dustyn Beauchamp, Kimberley Eastin, Rebekah Hill, Stephen Eastin, Jonathan Gross and Jared Gross; one brother, Paul Yerden of Arizona; one sister, Ruth Albright and her husband, John of Indiana; brother-in-law, Paul Lindell of Big Spring; nine treasured nieces and nephews and their families.She was preceded in death by her parents, Elmer and Adah Yerden. Arrangements under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Big Spring. Online condolences can be made at: www.npwelch.com,