OBITUARIES

Charles Perry Hiles (C.P.) died Saturday, December 28 at his home surrounded by his family, after a lengthy battle with COPD. With the bases loaded and nobody out, you shoot for the fence, and he did. He rallied until the very end.

He was born in Cleveland, Ohio on November 2, 1943 to Strauther Perry and Ethel Hiles. They moved to Harpersfield when he was a young boy and the homestead remains today.

C.P. attended Geneva High School, had various jobs and at 18 joined the Operators Union, local 18. He started his career with Lake Shore Steel and ended with AE Steel, both located in Ashtabula Ohio. He was an outstanding crane operator, and many would be surprised to learn he was blind in one eye since birth, yet was one of the most skilled operators around. To this day, many coworkers regale stories of his talent and of his shenanigans. He was a jokester and full of pranks which he has passed on to his children.

C.P. also coached Little League in Austinburg Ohio in the late 70’s, early 80’s. It’s not uncommon to run into those kids today who still remember him fondly as a fair and decent coach.

He loved fishing, pulling some seriously large muskie out of the Grand River. He loved his kids, grandkids and great grandkids, speckled pups and little orange kittens. He never met a stranger or a golf course he didn’t love. He played league at Chapel Hill, and Geneva on the Lake. Many an evening he could be found at his favorite watering hole and home away from home, the Grand River Manor.

C.P. is preceded in death by his father Strauther, mother Ethel, sister Bonnie and son Perry Junior.

He is survived by sons Eric (Kristen) Hiles, Justin (Sheala Seeley) Hiles, Daughters Casey (Ron Dalin) Karbacka and Cindy (Bob) Micsky Hiles, many children and grandchildren.

Calling hours are Thursday, January 2 from 4 – 7 PM at Walker Funeral Home, Sherman St. Geneva.

A Celebration of Life will be at the Grand River Manor, Mechanicsville Road in Austinburg on Friday, January 3 at 5:00 PM. The family will attend a private burial.

In lieu of flowers, the family would like to make donations available to Bella Care Hospice of Austinburg.