William S. Diles, Sr.

William S. Diles, Sr., 88, passed away peacefully on February 16, 2012 at The Laurels of Athens. Born in Middleport, Ohio, he was one of the five children of Lisle D. and Lucille Bowman Diles.

A graduate of Middleport High School and Miami University, he devoted his entire professional life to the hearing industry. His early career found him practicing in New York City, Waterbury, Ct., Hartford, Ct. and Baltimore, Md. In 1960, Bill and his wife Mary moved their family to Athens. Shortly thereafter, Bill established Diles Hearing Center.

As part of his professional life, Bill was appointed by former Ohio Governor John Gilligan to serve on the Ohio Hearing Aid Licensing Board. He was also honored by being invited to serve on the Oticon (Copenhagen, Denmark) Advisory Board. He and Mary, his beloved wife of sixty two years, enjoyed frequent trips to Copenhagen in this capacity.

Bill served in the U.S. Army during WWII, first with the 88^th Glider Infantry and later with the 97^th Infantry Division, one of the divisions that liberated portions of Western Germany and the nation that was then known as Czechoslovakia. He was a fifty year member of the K.T. Crossen Post 21 of the American Legion.

Along with Mary, Bill took an active part in the Athens community, serving as an elder and deacon in the First Presbyterian Church, and as an active member and past president of Athens Rotary Club. He also volunteered in many organizations, including Habitat for Humanity, The Athens Foundation and The American Red Cross. He was a Guardian ad Litem for the Athens County Juvenile Court. Bill was also a long time member of the Athens Country Club.

Bill is survived by his wife, Mary, whom he married on July 23, 1949. He is also survived by daughter Kathy (Gerry) Hazelbaker of Albuquerque, NM, son John of Castro Valley, Ca, and son William, Jr. (Christine) of Petaluma, Ca. Bill will be missed by his grandchildren – Kristen, Valerie, Mary, Chelsea, Colin, Will, Lee and Meghan and his great-grandchildren – Kaitlin, Mia and Nico. Also surviving are many nieces, nephews, cousins and close friends whom he loved very much.

Bill was preceded in death by an infant son, his parents, sisters Lois Bush, Phyllis Jividen and Marjorie Mitchell, brother David Diles and nephew Sam Mitchell.

There will be a memorial celebration of Bill's life at The Athens First Presbyterian Church on Saturday, February 25 at 2 p.m., followed immediately by a reception for friends and family at the Ohio University Inn.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in his memory to Appalachian Community Visiting Nurses Association Hospice and Health Services, 30 Herrold Ave., Athens, Ohio, 45701 or to The Athens First Presbyterian Church Choir, 9 N. College St., Athens, Oh. His body has been willed to Osteopathic Medical School at Ohio University.

The Diles family is extremely grateful for all of the support offered by so many friends in the community. We would also like to acknowledge the outstanding professional care he received at Riverside Hospital, O'Bleness Health System, The Laurels of Athens and the Appalachian Community Visiting Nurses Association Hospice and Health Services.