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Submitted: 12/27/21 • Approved: 12/27/21 • Last Updated: 12/30/21 • R475846-G0-S3
June 11, 1903-November 8, 1980
*Photo, courtesy of Robert L. Jones
*Information, courtesy of Edith Guynes Stanley
*Obituary
Miss Elizabeth "Beth" Mackey Stiles, 77, and Mrs. Ora B. Stiles, 72, were killed Saturday afternoon in a two vehicle accident. The collision of the Stiles vehicle and a Pampa Ambulance occured [sic]at the intersection of Highway 60 and Loop 171. The driver of the ambulance, Jay Kraft, 19, of Pampa, died Monday in Amarillo from injuries received in the accident.
The sisters-in-law were traveling east on U.S. 60. The ambulance driven by Kraft was traveling north on Loop 171; Loop 171 traffic has stop signs. The vehicles collided in the left-hand lane of the east-bound traffic; the highway is 4-lane at this intersection. The ambulance rolled following the collision.
Both women were pronounced dead-on-arrival at Highland General in Pampa.
Joint services for the two women were held Monday, November 10, in the First Untied Methodist Church in Wheeler with Rev. Ernie McGaughey, pastor, and Rev. Jerry Hogan, pastor of the First Baptist Church, officiated. Burial was in the Wheeler Cemetery under the direction of Wright Funeral Home.
Miss Elizabeth "Beth" M. Stiles, a member of a pioneer family, was born in Mobeetie and moved with her family to the Stiles ranch east of Wheeler in 1905.
Miss Stiles taught school from 1924 to 1930 in the Wheeler schools, and from 1930 to 1933 in the Rock school. She then taught in the Kelton school until 1948. She was a member of the Methodist Church.
She is survived by one brother, Gordon Stiles of Wheeler, and five nieces and nephews.
Pallbearers were: Earl Barnes, Harrison Hall, Thomas Helton, Kenneth Killingsworth, John C. Vise, Don Whiteley.
Mrs. Ora B. Stiles was born in Quitman and moved to Wheeler County with her family in 1920. Her father, the Rev. A.C. Wood, was on of the first Baptist ministers in Wheeler County.
She was married to Gordon Stiles on June 14, 1928, in Wheeler. She taught school in Rock from 1930 to 1933 and she also taught school in Kelton. She was a member of the Baptist Church and a former member of the 54 Study Club.
She is survived by her husband, Gordon; two sons, William G. Stiles, Jr. of Burleson, TX; and Robert W. Stiles of Carlyle, Ill.; two daughters, Mrs. Sandra Christner of Wheeler and Mrs. Sharon Swindler of Colorado Springs, Colo.; two brothers, Dr. L.G. Wood of Rockport, and T.O. Wood of Katy; a sister, Mrs. Lillian Reynolds of Wheeler; and 11 grandchildren.
Pallbearers were: David Britt, Dick DeArment, Adrian Risner, Thurman Rives, Paul Topper, A.O. Vanpool.
(Published in The Wheeler Times, (Wheeler, Texas), Volume 46, Number 49, Thursday, November 13, 1980, Page 1)
Contributed on 12/27/21
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Record #: 475846