Obituary of Barry Wiles

Barry Neal Wiles, age 76, loving husband of Donna Bull Wiles, passed on to his Heavenly home on Sunday, January 29, 2023 in his den at home with family after bravely battling COPD for several years.

Born on November 21, 1946 in Orangeburg, SC he was the oldest son of William David and Mary Sue Wiles.

He attended Cameron public schools and was a proud member of the 1961-62 Cameron High School teams who went undefeated and won state championships in football, basketball, and baseball, playing varsity as a freshman. He also was a shot put champion and won trophies for highest batting average in baseball. Upon graduation in 1965 he chose to honor his country by enlisting in the United States Navy. His stint included a year in Viet Nam when he was awarded a Purple Heart for wounds suffered as shots fired through his river patrol boat in the Mekong Delta. He also received the Viet Nam Service Medal.

Upon his return to SC he married Donna on July 26, 1969 and began his career at Carolina Eastman in upper Calhoun County. They joined Transfiguration Lutheran Church in Cayce where he served as Chief Usher and a member of the landscaping committee. They attended church with their daughters regularly as he was able, taking them to Sunday School and Vacation Bible School.

He enjoyed exploits to hunt clubs, the farm, woods, and lakes with his many friends and also trips to Death Valley in Clemson, family trips to the beach (where he woke up early to search for sharks teeth), and numerous bowl trips. He especially looked forward to attending his regular Cameron class reunions, even making it to Santee in 2022 for his last one.

Retirement in 2003 provided more time to spend at their weekend lake cabin. He was considered a master fisherman as he fished all his “secret fishing holes” in the coves of Lake Murray and seemed to always find a bass when his buddies couldn’t. He knew just how to dangle a line from a leaning tree branch. His daughters cherished their earlymorning fishing trips, even though he’d woken them up too early, as they always asked to “go fast, Daddy!” He also told stories of their trying to keep quiet but giggling as Daddy blew the grunt calls with them in his deer stands on the farm near Cameron.

Later he was immensely proud to be blessed with three grandsons, whom he taught to fish and hunt. He carved toy swords and knife handles for them and taught them how to shoot his homemade bows and arrows and sling shots in the backyard. He attended their baseball and football games and school programs as he was able, even played their video games with them. Then they were blessed with two granddaughters, so he passed down his prized, hand-built, two-story, electrified dollhouse with shaker roof which they continue to enjoy. They all loved Granddaddy as they rocked with him in his recliner and made them laugh.

In recent years he was determined to achieve mastery level in competition golf on his Kindle. He liked to brag about making “legend” level and talked about his “golf buddies” who provided entertainment. He built bird houses, tables and stools, carved fishing lures, and could repair almost anything. His grands knew to “take it to granddaddy’s house.” He enjoyed card and board games, Scrabble, and puzzles. He loved his fishing, hunting, animal, history, and science fiction channels, and often asked for one of his many CD’s in their collection of Clemson football games. He will be remembered for his love of animals and the outdoors. He had a keen sense of details about nature, sharing fascinating facts about many wild and domestic animals. And his sense of humor was off-the-charts, even with his nurses and doctors in his last days. Five student interns had to visit his room before he left.

He is survived by his devoted wife; daughters, Ashley McGlohorn (Greg) and Allison Stuck (Aaron); 5 grandchildren: Banks Calhoun McGlohorn, Brooks Tillman McGlohorn, Braydon William Stuck, Audrey Cate Stuck, and Anna Cameron McGlohorn. He is also survived by his brother, Roger Coyt Wiles, and devoted brothers and sister-in-law who spent hours by his side in his last days, and also a number of nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held Thursday, February 2 at 2:00 pm at Transfiguration Lutheran Church in Cayce with the Reverend Alex Twedt officiating. Visitation will be from 12:30 till 1:45 at the church.

Burial and committal will be at 4:00 in their hometown of Cameron.

Barry chose that any memorials to honor him be sent to his church or to the Wounded Warrior Project.