Richard Ladd Stiles, Sr.

Tuesday, June 20, 2017

Mr. Richard Ladd Stiles Sr, 71, passed away on Sunday, June 18, 2017 at Hyde Park Nursing Home in Flushing, Michigan. He was born December 27, 1945 in Blytheville to C.H. (Sonny) Stiles and Jonell Ladd Stiles. He graduated from Blytheville High School and then attended Arkansas State University where he earned a degree in Accounting. After obtaining his CPA license, he worked for businesses in Blytheville, Jacksonville, Fla., Wichita, Kan. and King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

In his youth, golf was a favorite hobby, but he had varied interests: reading, drawing, architecture (self-taught), numerical coding, photography, tennis and traveling. He was proficient in many things – a genius. He talked about “grooving” his swing in baseball to the point where he could hit rocks with a broomstick at night with his eyes closed.

He was on the leading edge of technology. He built out vic20, and built a tape backup out of a cassette player and programmed video games while everyone else was going to the arcades.

He loved investing and coming to understand the market. Eventually, he managed his own investments full time. He was a CPA, a comptroller, and oversaw the computerization of accounting systems. He migrated to computer programming when that market got hot. He went back to school in his 60s to learn Java programming. He never stopped learning.

He was preceded in death by his father, C.H. (Sonny) Stiles; and a brother, Carleton H. Stiles, Jr.

He is survived by his mother, Jonell Ladd Stiles of Blytheville; a sister, Nan Stiles, of Little Rock; an aunt, Violet Carney of Blytheville; and his greatest achievement, his three sons, Richard Ladd Stiles, Jr., (and Susan) of Florida, William Michael Stiles (and Kamee) of Michigan and David Frederick Todt of Pennsylvania; and five grandchildren.

A Memorial Service will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, June 24, 2017 at Carney Funeral Home in Blytheville.

Condolences may be offered at www.carneyfuneralhome.com