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.