Ernest Paul Stiles

E. Paul Stiles, 86, of Grants Pass died Tuesday, Sept. 8, 2009, at his home. Visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Tuesday at Stephens Family Chapel. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday at First Assembly of God in Fairfield, Calif., with Robert Clay, pastor, officiating. Interment with military honors will follow at 2 p.m. at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery. He was born Ernest Paul Stiles, Jan. 5, 1923, in Lakewood, N.J., to Ernest and Carrie (Paul) Stiles. On Jan. 23, 1943, he joined the Army at Fort Dix, N.J. He served in the Pacific Theater and received the Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon, the Philippine Liberation Victory Medal, the American Theater Ribbon, the Good Conduct Medal and the Meritorious Unit Award. He was honorably discharged on Feb. 3, 1946, at Fort Monmouth, N.J. On May 18, 1944, in San Francisco, he married Marie Jeanette Nelson, who survives. In 1973, he went to work for the San Francisco Hilton as a painter in the engineering department, and he retired in 1987. In 1986, he and his wife moved to Fairfield, where they lived until 2006, when they moved to Grants Pass. He was a member of First Assembly of God in Fairfield, Hastings Island Hunting Preserve in Rio Vista, Calif., and Painters Union Local 376. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, baseball and spending time with his family. In addition to his wife, survivors include two daughters, Paulette Wood of Grants Pass, and Marilyn Wahl of Vacaville, Calif.; four grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren.