1922
Charles
2010
Charles "Bill" Giles
July 26, 1922 — April 3, 2010
Munising
Charles William "Bill" Giles, age 87, of 609 W. Onota Street, Munising, died on Saturday morning, April 3, 2010 at the Jacobetti Home for Veterans in Marquette. He was born in Munising on July 26, 1922 to John William and Hilma (Peterson) Giles. Prior to Bill's enlistment into the military during WWII, Bill worked at the Munising Woodenware and helped his father deliver Railway Express. He was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division and served in North Africa and Europe. Bill served in major European Campaigns and was in the glider drop over France on D-Day. His unit fought throughout Europe including the "Battle of the Bulge" and on to Germany. Bill sustained leg and back wounds which left him with lifelong disabilities and earned him the Purple Heart Medal. Bill was a charter member of the 82nd Airborne Division Association and belonged to the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Order of the Purple Heart. He returned to the Woodenware for a time after the war then worked in the woods and for P&L Service. He took vocational training to learn printing and worked downstate for a while as a printer operator. Bill then went to Arizona to do woods work for a short time and upon returning to Munising, worked in the woods and later started to repair small engines; specializing in lawn mowers, snowblowers, and chainsaws. He enjoyed working with engines and did that until his death. Bill enjoyed driving the many cars and trucks he owned during his lifetime and was always concerned that there were so many he would not get to own. He was a gun collector and enjoyed talking and trading guns, and was a proud member of the NRA. Bill enjoyed interacting with friends, and always said he got a "big kick" out of teasing and being teased by the girls at the bank.
He is survived by his sister Alice (Lloyd) Burkholder of St. Paul, Minnesota; brother Earl (Rachel) Giles of Munising; nieces - Nancy (Anthony) Wacker and Ann Burkholder both of St. Paul, MN, Susan (Mike) Bahr of Ashland, OR, Deborah (Jeff) Rinehart of Naperville, IL; and nephew - Kenneth (Virginia) Giles of Erie, CO. Bill was preceded in death by his parents John and Hilma, brother Gerald, and sisters Nancy and Sylvia.
According to Bill's wishes, there will be no public services held at this time. A memorial graveside service will be held on Monday, May 3, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at the Maple Grove Cemetery where the American Legion Honor Guard and Alger County Veterans Council will conduct military honors and Mr. Marvin Dull will conduct committal prayers. Memorial may be made in Bill's name to the D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans. Bill will be missed by his family, his diaper alley neighbors, and his many friends.
Charles William "Bill" Giles, age 87, of 609 W. Onota Street, Munising, died on Saturday morning, April 3, 2010 at the Jacobetti Home for Veterans in Marquette. He was born in Munising on July 26, 1922 to John William and Hilma (Peterson) Giles. Prior to Bill's enlistment into the military during WWII, Bill worked at the Munising Woodenware and helped his father deliver Railway Express. He was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division and served in North Africa and Europe. Bill served in major European Campaigns and was in the glider drop over France on D-Day. His unit fought throughout Europe including the "Battle of the Bulge" and on to Germany. Bill sustained leg and back wounds which left him with lifelong disabilities and earned him the Purple Heart Medal. Bill was a charter member of the 82nd Airborne Division Association and belonged to the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the Order of the Purple Heart. He returned to the Woodenware for a time after the war then worked in the woods and for P&L Service. He took vocational training to learn printing and worked downstate for a while as a printer operator. Bill then went to Arizona to do woods work for a short time and upon returning to Munising, worked in the woods and later started to repair small engines; specializing in lawn mowers, snowblowers, and chainsaws. He enjoyed working with engines and did that until his death. Bill enjoyed driving the many cars and trucks he owned during his lifetime and was always concerned that there were so many he would not get to own. He was a gun collector and enjoyed talking and trading guns, and was a proud member of the NRA. Bill enjoyed interacting with friends, and always said he got a "big kick" out of teasing and being teased by the girls at the bank.
He is survived by his sister Alice (Lloyd) Burkholder of St. Paul, Minnesota; brother Earl (Rachel) Giles of Munising; nieces - Nancy (Anthony) Wacker and Ann Burkholder both of St. Paul, MN, Susan (Mike) Bahr of Ashland, OR, Deborah (Jeff) Rinehart of Naperville, IL; and nephew - Kenneth (Virginia) Giles of Erie, CO. Bill was preceded in death by his parents John and Hilma, brother Gerald, and sisters Nancy and Sylvia.
According to Bill's wishes, there will be no public services held at this time. A memorial graveside service will be held on Monday, May 3, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. at the Maple Grove Cemetery where the American Legion Honor Guard and Alger County Veterans Council will conduct military honors and Mr. Marvin Dull will conduct committal prayers. Memorial may be made in Bill's name to the D.J. Jacobetti Home for Veterans. Bill will be missed by his family, his diaper alley neighbors, and his many friends.
To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of Charles "Bill" Giles, please visit our flower store.