Richard Carlile

CARLILE, Richard “Rick”

Age 84, of Oakwood, OH, passed away peacefully at Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton on Tuesday, September 23, 2025, the day of his 53rd wedding anniversary, after a courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.

Rick was born April 3, 1941, in West Hollywood, CA, to the late Richard L. and Gertrude M. Carlile. As a child, he moved to Tipp City, OH, where he lived through his high school years. He then attended Ohio University (Athens), where he graduated cum laude with a B.B.A. Following service as a First Lieutenant in the U.S. Army Artillery in Korea, he went on to earn his J.D. from the University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) Law School.

Rick built a distinguished legal career with Smith & Schnacke, which later became Thompson Hine LLP, where he served as President of Smith & Schnacke, Partner-in-Charge of the Dayton office, and a member of the Executive Committee. He was consistently recognized in The Best Lawyers in America, named an Ohio Super Lawyer, and honored by Cincinnati Magazine as a Five Star Wealth Manager. Beyond his legal profession, Rick gave generously of his time and resources to many civic, cultural, and educational organizations, including St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, the Miriam Rosenthal Memorial Trust Fund, Culture Works, Dayton History, Oakwood Schools Foundation, and the Miami Valley Hospital Foundation, where he served as Chairman and Life Trustee.

Rick was also a passionate military history collector, widely regarded as a leading authority in the field with a particular focus on the Civil War. His expertise and generosity shaped a community of fellow historians and collectors, many of whom considered him a mentor. His collection and insights have been featured in Military Images magazine, in over 50 books and publications including Time-Life and National Geographic, and even in Ken Burns’ acclaimed PBS documentary The Civil War and its companion book. His displays at national shows, particularly Gettysburg, PA, were admired for their rarity and quality, cementing his reputation as both a steward of history and a generous guide to other collectors. Select items from his collection can forever be viewed and appreciated at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC, thanks to the support of the Liljenquist Family Collection of Civil War Photographs.

Rick also generously shared his deep passion and extensive knowledge of Civil War history for over 15 years, enriching the lives of adult learners through his dedicated teaching at the University of Dayton’s Institute of Learning in Retirement (now the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute).

While he humbly accumulated professional accomplishments and the respect of his fellow historians, he was even more dedicated to his family. His support and love were unwavering. His greatest joy and deepest pride were his two sons and the families they built. They were his most cherished legacy.

Rick is survived by his devoted wife of 53 years, Marlene; his two sons, Jay and wife Christina (Mannarino) Carlile, Dr. Kevin and wife Tessa (Watson) Carlile; his grandchildren, Frank, Emma, Cameron and Olivia; his sisters, Kaye and Carole; and his nieces, Jennifer and Emily. He was preceded in death by his parents.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Friday, October 17th, at 10:00 a.m. at St. Joseph Catholic Church, Dayton with a memorial reception immediately following at the Parish Life Center across the street from the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Lustgarten Foundation for pancreatic cancer research or Ohio's Hospice | Dayton.