William Ross Stiles... Age 81

Memorial: American Legion Riders send c/o Eddy-Birchard Funeral Home P.O. Box 430 Osawatomie, KS 66064

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William ”Bill” Ross Stiles,  81, of rural Fontana Kansas passed away Thursday, July 30 at his home.

Bill was born November 16, 1938 in Paola, Ks. He was one of three children born to A.G. and Eva L. (Jennings) Stiles. Bill grew up in Paola and graduated from Paola HIgh School in 1956.

On June 25th, 1956, Bill enlisted in the United States Marine Corp where he was then stationed in California. He was honorably discharged April 7, 1958.

Bill and Clara Ellen Taylor were united in marriage on March 6 1959, at the United Methodist Church of Paola. They made their home on the family farm in the Richland Township of rural Paola, and parented two sons Micheal Wayne and Stanton Scott. In February of 1981 they moved to a farm South of Osawatomie, Kansas. They built a new home on their farm in 2004.

Bill went straight to work after being discharged from the military at the Paola Fluor Plant (Taylor Forge). Later he went to work for Bendix (Honeywell) and retired shortly after his car accident in 2005. One of his great work accomplishments was helping build the Lunar Rover.

Bill’s hobbies included farming, watching his grandchildren play, listening to music, amateur bird watching, and shooting the squirrels off his bird feeder.

He was preceded in death by his parents, one grandson Jacob Godfrey, and his wife of 58 years Clara Ellen.

Survivors include his sons Mike (Joyce) of Osawatomie and Scott (Deedee) of La Cygne; his sisters Georgia Hendrickson and Sharon Beets; Fiance Deb Bryant; six grandchildren Shannon (Danny) Moser, Matthew Godfrey, Jason (Courtney) Stiles, Tara Stiles, Sadie (Jason) Mickel, Clara (Matt) Graham, and 11 great  grandchildren. As well as  many other relatives and friends.