ANGELA MARIA ILES (Contino) passed away on September 18, 2023. She was born on August 19, 1937, in New York City to the late Leonardo and Maria Contino (Ferlito). She lived in New York City until the age of two and then moved to Brooklyn, NY. She attended PS 159 in Brooklyn from first grade to middle school. She then attended William H. Maxwell High School and graduated in June 1955 with high honors. After graduation, she worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a Secretary. After working there, she decided to go into private industry and worked at various life insurance companies and as Secretary at W.R. Grace & Company, where she was fortunate to travel abroad to Amsterdam. In June of 1969, Angela married Douglas Iles in Brooklyn. With Doug’s U.S. Navy career, they had the opportunity of living in many different duty stations including Bainbridge, MD, Charleston, SC, Niagara Falls and Buffalo, NY, Norfolk and Virginia Beach, VA. They resided with their family at Little Creek Amphibious Base from July 1974 until August 1993. After Doug’s retirement they settled in Virginia Beach.
In July 1974, she began work as an Administrative Assistant at COMNAVSURFLANT. She worked in Civil Service at COMNAVSURFLANT, COMNAVAIRLANT, and COMNAVPHIBLANT for over 42 years. She received certificates of achievement and acknowledgement for dedicated service from Presidents Ford through Obama. On January 1, 2011, she retired ending her loyal service as a U.S. Government employee. Her achievements included: National Honor Society, Distinguished Women of America, and President of Ryan Academy PTA. She served as a lay eucharistic minister and lector at USNAB Little Creek Amphibious Base Chapel.
She was preceded in death by her husband of over 52 years, CDR Douglas M. Iles (USN Retired), her parents, her brothers - John and Sammy, and sisters - Josephine and Theresa, and their beloved Aunt Sarah who acted as a second mother to them. Left to cherish her memory are her beloved children: daughter, Stephanie (Charlie), son, Douglas (Tammy), and stepsons, Scott (Doug) and Demaree; granddaughters Marisa, Kendall, Amanda, Carissa, and Brianna; brothers-in-law, Salvatore Balestrieri and Joe Iles (Cheryl), and sisters-in law, Antoinette Contino and Christie Cassell (Randy); and several nieces, nephews, extended family, friends, and colleagues.
The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the nurses and doctors of Sentara Virgina Beach General, Princess Anne, and Norfolk General Hospitals, and the Nightingale flight crew who provided comfort and care for Angela in her final days.
The viewing will be held on Friday, October 20th from 6-8PM at Woodlawn Funeral Home, 6329 E. Virgina Beach Blvd., Norfolk. Funeral mass service will be held at 11AM on Saturday, October 21st at St. Pius X Catholic Church, 7800 Halprin Drive, Norfolk. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Angela’s honor to The American Heart Association at www.heart.org and the Pulmonary Fibrosis Association at https://fundraise.givesmart.com/vf/PFFTribute/ANGELAILES
