F. Mark Giles, age 67 of Evergreen St., Cortland, NY passed into Heaven greeted by his Savior, Jesus Christ on Wednesday, August 26, 2015. Born July 31, 1948 in Ithaca, NY he was the son of Doris Steiger Giles and the late Sydney H. Giles, Jr. He was graduated from Ithaca High School and went on to receive his Bachelor of Science Degree in Agriculture from Cornell University. He was a US Coast Guard Veteran serving in rescue and recovery from 1970-74. He began his career with Cooperative Extension where he met his future wife, Christina Barber, in 1974. They were married in 1975. He then went to work for Dryden Agway in 1978 and transferred to Ithaca Agway becoming Manager in 1985. In 1992 Agway moved him to Syracuse where he remained until they closed in 2001. He then returned to Cortland, and took a position with Cornell University as a Program Coordinator at Cooperative Extension. Always a strong man of faith, he had previously attended Dryden Presbyterian Church and currently Church of the Redeemer in Cortland.
In addition to his mother, Doris Giles of Ithaca, Mark is survived by his wife, Christina Barber Giles at home; his sons, Matthew (Christina) Giles of Charlotte, NC and Kevin Giles of Rochester, NY; grandchildren, Rhyanna and Nate; sisters, Connie (Ron) Wright of Cazenovia, NY, Susanne (Gary) Ganoung of Kirkwood, NY, Patricia (James) Maybee of Ithaca, NY and Karen (John) Miller of Denver, CO; and many aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews and cousins. In addition, Mark is survived by special family members, Christian and Katja Birke and their daughter, Julie of Kiel, Germany.
Memorial services will be held at 10 am, Saturday, August 29, 2015 at Church of the Redeemer, 125 Tompkins St., Cortland, NY with Rev. Dr. Mick Leary officiating. Friends may call from 4 – 7 pm, Friday, at the Perkins Funeral Home, 55 W. Main St., Dryden, NY. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to Hospicare, 17 Kennedy Pkwy., Cortland, NY 13045 or Church of the Redeemer, 125 Tompkins St., Cortland, NY 13045 or Dryden Presbyterian Church, PO Box 42, Dryden, NY 13053.
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