Otho Giles

Services are scheduled at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, September 30, at Terpening amp; Son Chapel for Otho N. Giles of Artesia, New Mexico.

Mr. Giles, 88, died Friday, September 26, 2008 at Artesia General Hospital.

Rev. Rick Sullivan will officiate at the services with burial at Woodbine Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will be John Coll, Larry Beadle, Ed LaRue, Herb Spencer, Ed Gomez, Jessie Hilliard, Kevin Hartley, and Roy Crouch.

Visitation will be at Terpening amp; Son Mortuary Monday beginning at 10:00 a.m.

Mr. Giles was born January 24, 1920 in Decatur, Mississippi; the son of James Thomas Giles and Fannie Mae Nichols Giles.

He served in the United States Air Force during World War II. He was a crewman of a B-17 Bomber and flew over 30 missions.

On December 1, 1942 he was married to Mary Gaylord in Clearwater, Florida. He came to Artesia in 1946 from Florida.

He was an owner and operator of Giles Construction, where he built numerous schools and other public buildings through out New Mexico, from 1960 until retiring in 1986. Otho was of the Baptist denomination, a member of the Artesia Elks Lodge, an avid golfer, and raced horses with Bill Hudson from 1960-1965.

Otho was preceded in death by his parents; son Stephen M. Giles; brothers William H. Giles, James O. Giles, James T. Giles, Jr., and Samuel G. Giles; sisters Dorabel Giles Nowell, and Helen Giles; and granddaughter Stephanie L. Giles.

Survivors include his wife Mary Giles of the family home; sons Lonnie R. Giles of Artesia, and Thomas N. Giles and wife Zeneth of Artesia; sister Mary F. Maskew of San Antonio, Texas; grandson Thomas S. Giles of Artesia; great-grandchildren Tristen, Shelby, Ali, and Maggie Giles all of Artesia, and Stephanie N. Giles of Houston, Texas; and some nieces and nephews.