Dr. Wilbur Janes Stiles

Wilbur Janes Stiles, 91, of Tallahassee, Florida, passed away April 1, 2023, at home surrounded by his family and caregivers. He was born in Suffern, New York, on January 12, 1932, to the late Wilbur Stiles (d. 1972) and Elizabeth Janes (d. 1968). Wilbur was married to his loving wife of 66 years, Evalyn Adele Long. Wilbur and Evalyn had two sons, Wilbur J. Stiles, II (b. 1959) and the late John Edmund Stiles (1962-2002). Wilbur graduated from Suffern High School with honors in 1950 and went on to earn a civil engineering degree from Lehigh University and a lieutenant’s commission in 1954. He entered the United States Air Force where he earned his fighter pilot wings in 1955 and was chosen to become an instructor pilot. Wilbur loved mathematics. Following his military service, he earned a bachelor’s degree, a master’s degree and a PhD in mathematics from Georgia Institute of Technology in 1965. Wilbur was hired by the Department of Mathematics at Florida State University in 1965 and was a regular tenured faculty member with teaching and research assignments. He assumed the role of Director of Basic Mathematics in 1994. In 1998, he became involved in the adoption of a new technology which forever changed the way basic mathematics was taught. Dr. Stiles devised the Computer Assisted Instruction (CAI) Program for which he was awarded the FSU President’s Technology Award. He considered the CAI program to be his major accomplishment at FSU. He retired in May 2011, after forty-six years of service at FSU. He had a lifelong passion for teaching that began with his Air Force service, and he loved he scholarly life - and mathematics in particular. His advice for those considering pursuing a scholarly life in mathematics is this, "I did something I liked to do, and I'm glad I did it. If you love it, do it." Wilbur had numerous interests in his lifetime and was quite the craftsman. The first summer after moving to Tallahassee to begin teaching at FSU, he built the house in which he and Evalyn would raise their two boys. He enjoyed working on motorcycles with his boys and keeping his cars in good running condition. He was a lifelong athlete and was an avid and excellent racquetball player, playing competitively with the best racquetball players in the area. His love of racquetball extended to other racquet sports, including tennis, badminton, and squash. Wilbur was a lifelong golf enthusiast. Those who knew him would eventually hear him talk about how he finally perfected the golf swing. He enjoyed woodworking and, inspired by antiques he saw on his and Evalyn’s travels, built many pieces of furniture for his home and for family and friends. He was a lifelong learner and his intellectual pursuits followed along his mathematics career. While teaching at FSU, Wilbur took an interest in computers and studied computer science, eventually teaching courses on the subject. He also studied statistics at an advanced level. Wilbur had an interest in music from a young age and taught himself to play the mandolin. Wilbur was proud of his ancestry. He was an 11th generation American, with Stiles and Janes family ancestry that began with ancestors who sailed to this country in the 1630s. Wilbur is survived by his loving wife Evalyn, his son Wilbur “Billy” (LuAnn) and his grandson Wilbur J. Stiles, III of Smyrna, GA, and his faithful dog Spencer. A graveside service for family and friends will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, April 7, 2023, at Meadowood Memorial Park on Timberlane Road. A special thank you to Latonyea Sutton and Schylea Williams for their loving caregiving that brought Dr. Stiles many happy hours. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Big Bend Hospice, whose incredible staff brought comfort to Dr. Stiles in his final days. Todd Wahlquist is assisting the Stiles family with their arrangements (850-385-2193, www.bevisfh.com) .

Tributes

Dr. Wilbur Janes Stiles

January 12, 1932 - April 1, 2023