John "Tony" Anthony Stiles

John “Tony” Stiles, 67, died suddenly Monday, August 20, 2018 at his home. He was born on June 5, 1951 to Elmo & Kathryn (Jones) Stiles, in Kansas City, Kansas, and lived there his whole life. He graduated from Wyandotte High School in 1970.

Mr. Stiles was a carpenter & millwright by trade until he retired due to medical issues several years ago. He was also a freemason and a member of the Roger E. Sherman Masonic Lodge #438 in Kansas City, Kansas.

Tony loved to build things. When he was a teenager he built a 100 gallon aquarium. He befriended someone who taught him all about the cleaning of the tank & caring for the fish. He also learned taxidermy as a teenager. When he was attending Wyandotte High School he learned from a janitor that a big owl had died in the bell tower. He found a local taxidermist who taught him how to preserve & mount that owl. He also preserved a squirrel or two. When he was older he no longer did taxidermy but he had several stuffed pheasants & a dear head mounted on his wall.

The thing he loved to do most was to build & restore motorcycles. Over the years he built several motorcycles from the frame up. His prize possession was a 1978 Electra-Glide motorcycle that he restored to pristine condition. He entered it in several “Bike Shows” and won numerous trophies for his motorcycle.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a sister, Bonnie Franz. Survivors include 2 brothers: Elmo Stiles Jr., St. Louis, and Alan Stiles and his wife Lori, Lee’s Summit, Mo., a sister, Anita Kovich and her husband, Bob, Edmonds, WA., four nephews and two nieces.

There will be no funeral at Tony’s request, but a memorial service will be announced at a future date.