Carmichael, Ella

Ella Rae “Charlie” Carmichael, 87, of Portales died Friday, May 12, 2006, at Southwest Regional Hospital in Lubbock.

She was born Feb. 20, 1919, in Roby, Texas, to Hallie and Henry Wilson. She married to J. W. “Dub” Carmichael in Roby on March 31, 1939. They made their home in the area around Lamesa, Texas, until the early 1940s when they came to Roosevelt County. She lived on a farm and ranch in the Causey area from about 1950 until 2000, when she moved to Portales to make her home. For 40 years or more, she wrote The South County News for the Portales News-Tribune. Until earlier this year, she had continued to drive back and forth to Dora each school day to volunteer two to three hours in the lunch room. She also distributed government commodities in Dora for many years.

She was a longtime member of the Dora Baptist Church and an avid Bible student, according to family members.

She liked crossword puzzles and church, they said, and the schools and her family were her life.

She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, Billy Merle Wilson and James Elco Wilson; two sisters, Essie Mae Dunham and Coese Palmer; two sons, Kenneth Ray and Michael Wayne Carmichael, and by her husband, who died Jan. 9, 1980.

She is survived by three sons, J.W. Carmichael Jr. of New Orleans, Bobby J. Carmichael (and wife, Linda) of Commerce, Texas; and R. Keith Carmichael (Nita) of Portales; a daughter, Linda Bittick (Larry) of Portales; seven grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren; a brother, Tommy Wilson of Roby, Texas; and three adopted children, David Robinson of Alamogordo, Kristi Ledbetter (Richard) of Alamogordo and Becky Lynn Robinson of Truth or Consequences.

The Rev. Butch Schneider will officiate services.

Burial is at Causey Cemetery.

The family will be available for visiting from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday at Wheeler Mortuary.

Arrangements are by Wheeler Mortuary of Portales.