Deacon James Edward Giles

GILES, Deacon James Edward - Age 76, passed away Monday, January 23, 2017 at his residence. Family hour 10:00 AM Monday, January 30, 3017 at Antioch Missionary Baptist Church, 1083 E. Stewart Ave., with funeral service commencing at 11:00 AM Rev. Dr. Lewis Randolph Pastor, Rev. Roosevelt Brown officiating. Interment Flint Memorial Park Cemetery, G-9506 N. Dort Hwy., Mt. Morris, MI. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the Church 10:00 AM Monday. Deacon Giles will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM Sunday, with the family present from 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM to receive friends. Deacon James Edward Giles was the third oldest of eight children born to the late Floyd Sr. and Nobie Giles. He made his transition Monday, January 23, 2017. Deacon Giles was born on September 22, 1940 in Prescott, Arkansas. He moved to Flint, Michigan in 1958 and completed his senior year of high school at Flint Northern High School. He entered the United States Army in 1960 and served in active duty and in the reserves until he was Honorably Discharged in 1966. He received additional education at Flint Junior College and at General Motors Institute (now Kettering University) studying Industrial Engineering. Deacon Giles married Jacqueline White on December 18, 1967 at the home of Jacqueline's parents in Mobile, AL. They remained faithfully married and committed to each other for over 49 years. During that time, they adopted their son, Joseph, on December 23, 1974. Joseph Giles lives with his wife, Stacy, and two children in Chicago, IL. Deacon Giles became a member of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church in 1958 where he served for over 50 years. He served as a Deacon, a Sunday School Teacher, and as a Choir Member over those years. He spent most of his professional career in the automotive industry working for Buick Motor Division. He was one of the first Blacks to be accepted into a management training program at General Motors for the role of district service manager. In the late 1980s, he retired from GM and opened his own business, Giles Automotive (dba Action Auto), proudly serving the Flint community. He also owned and managed real estate during the latter years of his career. Deacon James E. Giles leaves to cherish his memory: his devoted wife, Jacqueline Giles of Flint; devoted son and daughter-in-law, Joseph (Stacy) Giles; two grandchildren, Justin and Alex Giles, all of Chicago, IL; four brothers, Floyd Giles, Jr., William Giles, Roy Giles, all of Flint, and Donald (Delois) Giles of Georgia; three sisters, Gladys (Jerrmiah P.) Duncan of Burton, MI, Ann Duncan of Flint, and Kathleen Giles of Detroit, MI; sister-in-law, Sarah Nolen of Scottsdale, AZ; 2 brothers-in-law, Wendall White of Flint and William Jr. (Angela) White of Detroit, MI; a host of uncles, aunts, nieces, nephews and cousins. Deacon Giles was preceded in death by his parents, Floyd Sr. and Nobie Giles; grandparents, John and Sarah Giles, Will and Laura Brown. The family would like to express special thanks to Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, Rev. Dr. Lewis Randolph, Rev. Kenneth Casey and the Antioch Missionary Baptist Church Family, Rev. Roosevelt Brown Associate Min. of Vernon Chapel AME Church, Armstrong Williams, Owner and Operator of NBC 25 in Flint, MI. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the American Kidney Fund at http://kidneyfund.org/

Deacon James Edward Giles

September 22, 1940 - January 23, 2017