Leo Arthur Giles

December 7, 1936 ~ July 30, 2020
Leo Arthur Giles, aged 83 passed peacefully on July 30, 2020. Leo and his twin, Leon Giles, were born in Kimball, South Dakota on December 7, 1936 to Willard and Violet Giles. He moved with his parents to Greeley, CO in 1940. After graduation from high school in Greeley, Leo and Leon enlisted in the Army and joined the Signal Corps as motion picture photographers, being stationed in Fort Monmouth, New Jersey; Point Barrow, Alaska and Fort Ord, California where they were part of the film team which worked to capture images of the atomic bomb testing.
After the Army, he attended Colorado State College (now University of Northern Colorado) where he met his future wife, Yvette Goings. They were wed December 18, 1960 in Englewood Colorado. He would go on to have careers as a High School Business Ed teacher in Thornton, CO, a financial officer for both Conoco Oil in Kansas City, MO and Samsonite in Colorado. He served as a bank officer for several Colorado banks. He then settled in to his true calling as a business teacher at Front Range Community College where he also ran the North Metro Small Business program and eventually became Dean of the business school. Even after retirement, he continued to help many new small business owners by teaching financial planning and advising them on developing their business plans.
In retirement, he and Yvette lived in their dream home in Bailey, Colorado.
But above all of those accomplishments his greatest focus, pride and joy was his family. He is proceeded in death by his parents and brothers Warren and Ralph Giles. He is survived by his bride of nearly 60 years, Yvette; his children Perry Giles, Scott Giles and Gini Ayrton and their spouses Nancy Giles, Carol Giles and Tim Ayrton; his grandchildren Brandy Southern (Corey), Michael Giles (Lindsay), Jonathan McGregor (Kelly), Kaitlyn Ayrton (Tyler), Heather Giles, Nicolas Ayrton and Jessica Giles and seven great-grandchildren. He is also survived by his brother Leon Giles and his wife Gretchen as well as numerous nieces, nephews and friends too numerous to count. His love, dedication, humor and guidance will be greatly missed!
Services and reception will be on August 13 at 11 am, Trinity Church of Wheat Ridge followed by internment at Fort Logan National Cemetery.
Please note that masks and social distancing will be required. Thank you for your cooperation.
Trinity Church is at 4490 Newland St, Wheat Ridge, CO 80033. This is east of Wadsworth.
I have many wonderful memories of Leo, and I cannot think of him without Yvette, the love of his life. My husband, Jim, met Leo when Leo joined him on the faculty of Front Range Community College. They were instant friends and then business partners. We used to get together for lunches and dinners most months until recently. He and Yvette shared news and pictures of their extended families, and we felt we knew them all. We always knew that family came first. It takes many adjectives to describe Leo, and will probably miss some, but he was one of the most loving, caring, honest, intelligent, thoughtful, and gentle men that I have ever known. The friendship our two families shared has been very special with memories that I will always cherish. He will be missed!