Junior Stiles

Lewis Junior Stiles, departed this life, December 7, 2017 at his home near LaPlata, MO at age 72.

The son of Charles Lewis and Fay Marie (Gillispie) Stiles, who both preceded him in death, as well as one brother, Paul Eugene Stiles.

Junior is survived by his devoted wife, Rena Dale (Byers) Stiles of the home; one son, Dallas Lee Stiles of Kansas City, MO; one sister, Helen Marie (Stiles) Tonkinson and her husband Max of rural Hurdland, MO. He is also survived by several brother’s and sister’s-in-law, many nieces and nephews, many Christian brothers and sisters in Christ and a host of relatives and friends.

Junior was born November 27, 1945 at a farm home near Kirksville, MO. He attended various rural schools as the family lived in the communities around and southeast of Kirksville, including Star Country School where Rena also attended. He graduated high school at Brashear, MO in 1963.
Junior married Rena Dale Byers, who was his high school sweetheart, on July 5, 1964 at the Church of Christ in Kirksville and they were married for 53 years.

Junior obeyed the Gospel of Christ, by being buried with Christ in baptism for remission of sins in May of 1963, by Evangelist Winfred Lee. When they lived in Kansas City area, Junior served as a deacon of the Church of Christ at Murry Road, Lees Summit, MO and then later at Kirksville after they moved back to LaPlata.

Junior had many interests, which included history, farming, mechanics, by which he made his career, and especially his love for the Lord Jesus Christ, as well as his many family and friends.

Junior received a degree in Master Mechanics and Dr. of Masters in a vocational program. He worked as a painter for McGraw Edison for 2 years, for Belt Fur & Wool for 1 ½ years, as a machinist for J. Burdman Machine Shop for 2 ½ years, a mechanic for Seller Implement for 4 ½ years, and for R-W Harmon Bus and Transportation of Kansas City and Columbia, MO. In 1977 he began working for Thomas Hill and Peabody Energy as a supervisor and master mechanic, where he worked for 15 years until the mine closed. He then worked for Mayflower Contract Services as a coordinator and quality insurance person, and finally he was the area manager for Laidlaw Transportation Services and First Student Transportation until he retired in 2007 and moved back to there home in rural LaPlata.

Visitation with the family will be from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. Monday (December 11, 2017) at the Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Tuesday (December 12, 2017) at Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home with Elder Barry Poyner officiating. Burial will be in Park View Memorial Gardens.

Davis-Playle-Hudson-Rimer Funeral Home
2100 E. Shepherd Ave.
Kirksville, MO 63501 660-665-2233

Memorials in memory of Junior are suggested to American Diabetes Association, Kirksville Church of Christ or Hospice Compassus of Macon.