It is with great sorrow that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Rae Francis Roberts Carlisle,

who passed away on November 30, 2025.

Rae was born on March 27, 1932, in Gibson, New Mexico, to her loving parents Florence Moore Roberts and Paul Roberts. She graduated high school in 1950 from Hurley High in Hurley, New Mexico. She went on to study nursing at St. Mary’s Nursing School in Tucson, Arizona, graduating in 1953. She started her career working at a VA Hospital before moving back to San Francisco where she had lived for several years in her childhood to continue her nursing career.

In early 1956 she attended a dance class in Oakland at Arthur Murray Dance Studio and met the love of her life, Richard Carlisle. She was introduced as the woman who loved baseball, and that was all he needed to hear. He asked her to dance and they remained together from that day on. They were married several months later on November 4, 1956. Baseball and dancing remained a shared passion until dad’s passing in 2012. They are now dancing together in heaven, along with their daughter, Melody Mileham.

She is survived by her sister Paula O’Keefe, her son David Carlisle and her daughters Kimberley Richardson, Tracey Curry, Kelley Heimsoth, Jody Padilla, Kathy Carlisle-Bruj and Kristy Palfalvi. She was also blessed with over 50 grandchildren and great-grandchildren who all adored her.

Mom volunteered in any and every way she was needed throughout her life. She was an active member of the Fremont Newcomers Club, the Tri-City Volunteers, and her children’s school PTA, holding many leadership roles. She also worked alongside dad with local kids including their son David to build the Tri-City Roadrunners, a long-standing Special Olympics team based in the Fremont/Tri-City area, which is still going strong today. There were many other organizations she donated her time and money to over the decades. She always felt the need to help others, and was a constant caregiver to us all.

She was a lifelong Bridge player and played cards until she lost her eyesight in her early 80’s. She loved the mental challenge, but it was the camaraderie she built with her bridge friends that was most important to her. They remained lifelong friends and confidants that she treasured.

Our mother was a kind, compassionate and giving person who always put the needs of her family before her own. She was a strong woman who faced every challenge in her life with courage and dignity. She was a woman of strong Catholic faith. And she instilled in us the importance of family, faith, hard work and doing what is right. She was a source of inspiration and will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

A Celebration of Life will be held in her honor!

Please join us:

February 14th 2026

1pm – 5pm

42745 Boscell Road

Fremont, CA 94536

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