Emory Ennis Giles, 75, of Tifton passed away at Tift Regional Medical Center on January 15, 2014. Funeral services will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 19, 2014, at Tifton’s First United Methodist Church. Rev. Paula Lewis and Rev. Stephen Webb will officiate with burial to be held at 5:00 p.m. on Sunday, January 19, 2014, at Akridge Cemetery in Mitchell County. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Beacon Sunday School class of Tifton’s First United Methodist Church. The family will receive friends on Sunday, January 19, 2014, from 1:00 p.m. until the hour of the service in the Sanctuary of Tifton’s First United Methodist Church.
Mr. Giles was born February 10, 1938 in Deepstep to Gladys Jackson O’Quinn Giles and Carlos Isadore “C.I.” Giles, who both preceded him in death. Mr. Giles graduated from Georgia Southern University and received his Master’s Degree from the University of Georgia. He also attended Florida State University and Auburn University.
Mr. Giles taught high school English in Colquitt County in the early 1960s, where he also directed student plays. In the mid-1960s, he served as a rehabilitation counselor in Albany/Dougherty County and then taught at Norman College in Norman Park. He came to ABAC in 1969 as financial aid counselor and was instrumental in creating the psychological and career counseling center there. He returned to the classroom at ABAC as psychology professor until his retirement in 1998.
Mr. Giles was a long-time member of Tifton’s First United Methodist Church, where he sang in the Chancel Choir and was in the Beacon Sunday School class. He also sang with the Tifton Choral Society and the ABAC Choir.
Mr. Giles is survived by his wife, Eleanor Akridge Giles; two daughters, Sandra Giles and Debra Giles King; and one grandson, Ryan King, all of Tifton. He is also survived by one sister and brother-in-law, Carol and James Kennedy; and two brothers and sisters-in-law, Billy and Linda Giles and Larry and Beth Giles, all of the Deepstep-Sandersville area.
In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be made to Tifton’s First United Methodist Church, 107 West 12th Street, Tifton, GA 31794, the ABAC Foundation, 2802 Moore Highway, Tifton, GA 31793; or Saint Jude’s Children’s Hospital, 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105.