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Kathryn J. Giles
Born: 3/4/1926
Died: 11/11/2021
Age: 95
Community: Fenton, MI
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GILES, Kathryn J. –
On November 11 Kathryn J. Giles peacefully left us to be reunited with her beloved husband, Ivan, in the Lord’s Heavenly realm. Kathryn was 95 years old.
Graveside service will be held at 12:45 p.m. Friday, November 19, 2021, Pastor Jeff Jaggers officiating at Flint Memorial Park.
All Family and Friends are invited to Celebration of Kathryn’s Life at a buffet luncheon at 2:00 pm following the graveside service at Sam’s Italian Restaurant, 4105 West Grand Blanc Road, Swartz Creek, Michigan, 48473.
Kathryn was born in Flint, Michigan on March 4, 1926 ( Ivan, her future husband was born just a year earlier on the same day) Kathryn was the first child of Prezza (Lee) & Michael Theodor. Their family grew to include six other siblings: Jim, Ivan, Tom, Don, Betty, and George.
Kate attended Flint Central High School until 1944 when she went to work at AC. Kate made several life lifelong friends during this time. Kate and her daughter Anna would meet with the AC ladies for luncheon until 2017. She went on to be an Avon Lady, a department manager at Kresge and a care giver for several children along with raising her 3 children. She never lost her love for the little ones.
In May of 1946 Kate meet a soldier boy home from Europe. Ivan Giles immediately fell in love with Kate. After their third date Ivan asked for her hand in marriage. In just a few month they married on July 27, and went on to share the next 65 years until Ivan passed in July 7, 2011 just a few days before their anniversary. They had a fulfilling life which resulted in 3 children: Anna, Kenneth, and Nola (Nicki), 5 grandchildren and 9 great grandchildren.
Kate and Ivan shared many hobbies and activities. They loved to get dolled up for square dances, to take a cruise in the Model T for a Memorial Day parade or sit around the table with family playing a card game called 31. We would be remiss if we did not mention their passion for the Mackinac Bridge.
Within a year the bridge’s grand opening Kate and Ivan packed up the family station wagon with the kids and some camping gear to drive across the new bridge. After the children had grown Ivan and Kate returned to Mackinaw City to book a room and make the 5 mile walk across the bridge every year for as long as they were able. When the trek became too difficult, they continued to Mackinac to cheer the other walkers on. Kate never stopped wanting to go back for another stroll.
The family continued to spend free time in the outdoors. Eventually they owned a cabin on Cases Island on Lake Fenton where the children and grandchildren would gather to spend time together fishing, skiing, and taking boat rides. This time created many happy memories with lots of funny stories. These stories are shared when we sit on Nicki & Randy’s deck on Lake Fenton watching as other families create memories. Kate’s grandson Paul still loves to bring his family for a ride in his boat around the lake and her great granddaughter, Emily, comes for visits to sail on the same lake that Anna, Ken and Nicki enjoyed.
Family gave Kate the most pleasure. Ivan and Kate spend many happy family events with both of their large families and later with their children’s families. Eos, one of the granddaughters, would spend every other weekend with them when she was a child. Kate and Ivan shower her with love, affection and perhaps spoiled her just a bit. Their refrigerator was a gallery of school pictures and art works of their great grandchildren.
In 1998 the family was extended to include Linda and James Garner from Texas. Linda had become Nicki’s best friend at Dallas Theological Seminary. During a visit Ivan & Kate became very close to the couple. Linda and James would visit them in Flint. They would join Ivan and Kate in the garage with the door open sitting on lawn chairs to watch traffic go by and listening as Ivan tell stories of his WWII experiences.
Kate loved family parties for any celebration: holiday, weddings, or birthdays, especially hers which she shared with Ivan. She liked to be the center of attention on that day when Donna, Bill, Prezza, Anna, Nicki, Randy, Ken, Gretchen with other friends and family would come to make a fuss over her. She was a great guest, always full of praise and gratitude.
Kathryn loved to travel. Nicki and her husband Randy took Ivan and Kate to England twice. They loved their time in England. Ivan would often share stories of his visit to the Giles Pub and the Giles Bookstore. Kate’s cousin Prezza would often pack her up in the car and take her for a road trip to visit the Lee family in Roger City. Prezza and Kate also ventured a few long car trips to Spring Hill, Tennessee to visit her son Ken and his wife Gretchen. Kate always was ready to go on another adventure. Pack a bag and put her in a car and she was a happy camper
Kathryn enjoyed knitting, crocheting and she had a bit of a sweet tooth. She was generous with her creations. Many waitresses, care givers, family and other friends have a blanket or a kitchen towel to hang on an oven door that she made for them. There is an unfinished blanket near her chair with a word find puzzle and I am betting a bit of candy stashed away in the drawer. She loved to stay busy.
We know that Kathryn loved all of us. She also knew she was loved by all of us. We will continue to miss her smile, her silly jokes and good nature. We are all better people for have known and shared time with her.
In lieu of flowers the family is requesting donations be made in Kate’s memory to the Old Newsboys of Flint or the Genesee County Salvation Army.
Your condolences may be shared with the family at swartzfuneralhomeinc.com
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| Visitation |
| Date: |
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11/12/2021 |
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| NONE |
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| Funeral Service |
| Date: |
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11/19/2021 |
| Time: |
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12:45 PM |
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| Location: |
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Flint Memorial Park
9506 North Dort Highway
Mt. Morris, MI 48458Get a Map to this location...
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