Irving Charles Stiles

Beloved Husband, Beloved Father, Beloved Brother, Beloved Grandpa, Beloved Uncle, Beloved Great Grandpa, Beloved Great Uncle and Beloved Friend adored by all. May 10, 1921 - June 29, 2012. Ninety-One Faithful years.

Charlie Stiles joined the Navy 8 days after Pearl Harbor. After completing a degree in Aeronautical Engineering at RPI and post graduate studies at MIT for the Navy he was assigned to duty supplying weather data to patrol aircraft searching for enemy subs along the northeast coast. He served on the aircraft carrier Thetis Bay until the end of WWII providing support for battles such as Iwo Jima.

After WWII, Charlie served in the Pacific including Kwajalein and Eniwetok, then as Asst. Operations Officer on the flagship aircraft carrier USS Wright. He later served as a Lieutenant Commander under the Commander of the Eastern Sea Frontier and next as the Chief Staff Officer on the flagship destroyer USS Braine, DESCOM 18. During the Korean Conflict, Charlie was the Executive Officer on the destroyer USS Wadleigh.

Following 13 years of active duty, Charlie transferred to the Naval Reserves where he served throughout the Cold War and until his retirement from Grumman Aerospace in 1986. As an aeronautical engineer at Grumman, he was involved in projects that included the Apollo moon missions, Space Shuttle and the F-14 Tom Cat fighter jet.

Charlie is survived by his loving wife of 61 years, Lorraine; his three children: Sandra (Wayne) Greer, Sheryl Stiles & his son: Thomas (Cheryl) Stiles; 7 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers the family is requesting contributions in Mr. Stiles name to: www. Wounded Warrior Project.org or www.ahaf.org/macular/--in support of macular degeneration..

Visitation for Mr. Stiles will be held on July 4, 2012 from 3-4 PM at Messinger Mortuaries, 12065 N. Saguaro Blvd., Fountain Hills with a Celebration of Life Service at 4:00 pm. Interment will be at The National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona. For further information please contact Melcher Mortuaries Mission Chapel at 480-832-3500, www.melchermission.com.