Henry Raymond Stiles

SOUTHFIELD, Mass. —Henry Raymond Stiles, fondly known to one and all as “Bud,†died peacefully in his sleep at Fairview Commons on the morning of May 11, 2009.

He would have been 89 this summer, born July 7, 1920, in Westfield, Mass., the son of Harry Reuben Stiles and Virginia Belle Taylor.

Mr. Stiles was a graduate of Westfield High School, class of 1938. He married Martha Louise Cook of Southfield, who predeceased him December 1994. The couple married in 1943 and celebrated 51 years together, living first in Westfield before moving to Southfield in 1951.

Mr. Stiles worked as a supervisor of rawhide manufacturing at Turner & Cook for 16 years, then as an extruder operator at Custom Extrusion in Sheffield until his retirement in 1986.

An integral part of the community, Mr. Stiles was a member of the New Marlborough Fire Company for almost 40 years, and held the position of fire chief in 1954 and 1955.

Mr. Stiles moved from his beloved big house on the main street of Southfield in the fall of 2007, having lived there for 56 years. It was a home filled with memories of many celebrations and gatherings of family and friends.

He was well known and loved and became a familiar face as well as a very familiar sound. He could always be heard whistling his way to and from work at the buggy whip shop, or on his daily trips to the general store after his retirement.

Many folks came to know him as part of a group of men that were always on the porch bench at the store, happily talking to everyone and keeping tabs on village activities. He was the last one remaining from that group.

He leaves five children,  Karen Brusie  and her husband, Gerry, of Hillsdale, N.Y., Diana Paruta and her husband, John, of East Canaan, Janice Boults and her husband, Chris, of Southfield, Stuart Stiles of Pittsfield, Mass., and Bruce Stiles of Pittsfield; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and one great-great-grandchild.

A celebration of Bud’s life began this week with calling hours on May 13, at the Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home in Great Barrington.

A graveside service will be held on Saturday, May 16, at 11 a.m. at the Lee Memorial Cemetery in Southfield, followed by a luncheon at the church hall in Southfield.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the New Marlborough Volunteer First Responders or the New Marlborough Fire Department through Finnerty & Stevens Funeral Home, 426 Main St., Great Barrington, MA 01230.

Remembrances, memories and reflections may be sent to the family through finnertyandstevens.com.

Latest News

Books and bites beckon at the upcoming Sharon Summer Book Signing

Author and cartoonist Peter Steiner signed books at Sharon Summer Book Signing last summer.

Photo by Stephanie Stanton

The 27th annual Sharon Summer Book Signing at the Hotchkiss Library of Sharon will be held Friday, Aug. 1, from 4:45 to 7:30 p.m.; Saturday, Aug. 2, from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; and Sunday, Aug. 3, at noon.

Friday’s festivities will honor libraries and the power of the written word. In attendance will be 29 locally and nationally recognized authors whose books will be for sale. With a wide array of genres including historical fiction, satire, thrillers, young adult and non-fiction, there will be something for every reader.

Keep ReadingShow less
Voices from Ukraine to America come to Stissing Center July 27

Ukraine Emergency Fundraiser at The Stissing Center in 2022 raised over $120,000 for Sunflower of Peace.

Photo by Michael Churton

The spirit of Ukraine will be on display at the Stissing Center in Pine Plains on Sunday, July 27. Beginning at 5 p.m., the “Words to America from Ukraine” fundraiser is set to showcase the simultaneous beauty of Ukrainian culture and the war-time turmoil it faces, all the while fundraising in support of Ukrainian freedom.

“Words to America from Ukraine” aims to remind and spread awareness for the suffering that often gets forgotten by those who live in comfortable worlds, explained Leevi Ernits, an organizer for the event. “We are trying to make an attempt to remind people that we are human, and we are connected with human values,” she said. “With very few words, poetry can express very deep values.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Grumbling Gryphons’ set to celebrate 45th anniversary with gala and summer theater camp

Celebrating its 45th year, the Grumbling Gryphons will perform at HVRHS Friday, Aug. 1, at 7 p.m.

Photo provided

The Grumbling Gryphons Traveling Children’s Theater is preparing to celebrate its 45th year — not with fanfare, but with feathers, fabric, myth, chant, and a gala finale bursting with young performers and seasoned artists alike.

The Gryphons’ 2025 Summer Theater Arts Camp begins July 28 and culminates in a one-night-only performance gala at Housatonic Valley Regional High School on Friday, Aug. 1 at 7 p.m. Founder, playwright, and artistic director, Leslie Elias has been weaving together the worlds of myth, movement and theater for decades.

Keep ReadingShow less
Learning calligraphy by hand

Attendees practive brushstrokes led by calligraphy teacher Debby Reelitz.

Photo by Patrick L. Sullivan

Calligrapher Debby Reelitz came to the David M. Hunt Library to give a group of adults and children an introduction to modern calligraphy Thursday, July 17.

Reelitz said she was introduced to calligraphy as a youngster and has been a professional calligrapher and teacher for more than 25 years.

Keep ReadingShow less