Arthur “Ray” Giles of Hermiston passed away on July 26, 2019 in Hermiston at the age of 80.
He was born on March 3, 1939 in Monrovia, Calif. to LaVern Hanks Giles and Rachel Dorothy Wray.
When he was a child, his family moved around California, Idaho and Oregon. He graduated from high school in 1957 from Cottage Grove High School in Cottage Grove. Later he served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He was assigned to the North Central States Mission, where Tamra Jean Hobbs was also called to serve. After their missions, they reconnected, fell in love, and were married on April 8, 1964 in the Salt Lake Temple in Salt Lake City, Utah. They were married for 54 years.
Ray served in the Air Force and then went on to college. He graduated from Southern Oregon State College with a bachelor’s degree in marketing. By then, he had started a career in retail grocery. In 1983, he achieved a long-term goal of buying his own grocery store. He owned and operated Giles Market in Medford for several years.
Ray served in many positions in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, spending countless hours serving the members of his congregation and community. He served as the first bishop of the Medford Fourth Ward congregation, as well as a counselor in the Medford Stake presidency. Ray spent many years working as a family history consultant and he served as a temple worker in the Portland Temple and the Columbia River Washington Temple. In their later years, Ray and Tamra served a second mission in the Georgia Macon Mission.
At his core, Ray was simply a good man – a man who loved his wife and family dearly and worked diligently to provide for them and their happiness. He was a
hard worker with a sharp mind and a quick wit. He loved a good book and the wry back-and-forth banter he had with his grandchildren. He was a man who was dedicated to his family, his God, and his fellow man.
Ray is survived by his seven children, Tadd (Elizabeth) Giles, Orem, Utah, Tara Giles, Central Point, Troy (Susan) Giles, Sandy, Utah, TeAnn (Shane) Pratt, Meridian, Idaho, Tina (Joseph) Sullivan, Vancouver, Wash., Tony (Amanda) Giles, Beaverton, and A. Ray Giles II, Moreno Valley, Calif.; 27 grandchildren; four great grandchildren; and sister, Louise Marie (Giles) Criswell.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Tamra Jean (Hobbs) Giles; his parents; his sister, Yvonne May (Giles) Devereaux; and his two brothers, James LaVern Giles (Jim) and Richard Eugene Giles (Dick).
There will be a public viewing held at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at 1035 S.E. Ninth St., Hermiston at 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3, 2019. Funeral services will start at 12:30 p.m., followed by a graveside service at the Hermiston Cemetery.
Please share memories of Ray with his family at burnsmortuaryhermiston.com.
Burns Mortuary of Hermiston is in care of arrangements.
