Obituary of Alvin Jesse Stiles

Alvin J. Stiles, 82, of 35 Second Avenue, Sylva NC, passed away March 12, 2015. A native of Macon County, he was the son of Elbert and Nora Stiles of Franklin. Serving as Senior Class President, he graduated from Franklin High School in 1950. Alvin was a US Air Force Veteran of the Korean War. He served from 1950-1954, including three months in Tachikawa, Japan, and twelve months in Taegu, Korea. He earned a Bachelors degree in Education, with honors, in 1957, as well as a Masters degree in Education in 1959 – both from Western Carolina College. During his graduate studies at Western Carolina College, he met a particularly intriguing undergraduate summer school student from Andrews, Mary Gibson. Alvin and Mary were married on August 14th, 1959. His educational background led Alvin to a career in teaching, beginning in Graham County on the elementary level for one year, before serving as Principal at Andrews High School in 1960-1961. His concentration of study was History, which subsequently led him to take a teaching job in Orlando, Florida, at Evans High School as 11th grade history teacher from 1962-1964. While Mary worked as an elementary school teacher, Alvin became a Metropolitan Life Insurance Company agent in Orlando from 1964-1966. Adapting quickly to the sales arena, he earned membership in the President's Club of Met Life. In 1965, he was the number one regular agent of Met Life in the state of Florida. Following the birth of first son, Michael in 1965, Alvin and his wife Mary moved back to the NC mountains, purchasing Gibson Furniture Company of Sylva in February of 1966. Their second son, John, was born in Sylva in 1967. Through gas crunches and recessions, Alvin faithfully operated the store for more than 45 years as a quintessential local merchant who was visited as often by friends and neighbors as he was by customers. Alvin was the Chamber of Commerce "Merchant of the Year" in 1977. A devoted husband and father, Alvin was a man of deep-rooted and tender faith in the Lord. This was perhaps most publicly evidenced by the way that he was able to make others feel so welcomed and appreciated, with a natural ability to treat everyone with the same respect and courtesy. To his family, Alvin epitomized the verse in Matthew 7:12, "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets." Alvin leaves this legacy and model to his two sons, Michael Stiles of Woodland Hills, CA, and Dr. John Stiles of Sylva, and his beloved wife of more than 55 years, Mary Gibson Stiles. Alvin had two sisters and one brother, all of whom are now deceased. Alvin was a longtime member, former Deacon, and youth Sunday School teacher at First Baptist Church of Sylva. Through the years he also served the community as a member of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, a Board member of the Tuckaseigee Water and Sewer Authority, and also as a member of the Loan Board of Southwestern Commission. A Memorial Service will be held at First Baptist Church of Sylva on Saturday, March 21 at 3pm. A reception will follow in the Fellowship Hall. The family asks that rather than flowers or home visitation, memorials can be made to Cutting Edge International Ministries, Inc. c/o United Community Bank of Sylva, or to the charity of one's choice. . .