Michael Wayne Stiles

Father to daughter Emma Elaine “Em” Stiles, who survives in Inwood with her godmother, Jane Couser and ‘the Ryman,’ Michael was the fifth child of the late James Dale “Jim” Stiles (1930-2005), and of Esther K. Stiles, who survives in Elkins.

Michael was born in Sistersville, West Virginia, and spent his early years in Tyler, Braxton, and Tucker counties. In Tucker County, Michael attended Saint George Academy — where he learned compassion, humility, and how to play chess really well, in addition to gaining the foundations of a good education. Michael’s passion for the arts expressed itself early.

He was in the band while at Tucker County High School and following graduation in 1987 attended Fairmont State College (now University). There, he earned a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Theatre and Music Education; a master’s degree in Directing from Roosevelt University in Chicago came later.

Michael began his teaching career in Tucker and Barbour County but found his true life’s calling when he accepted the position of Theatre Director at Musselman High School in Berkeley County, West Virginia, in 1994.

Michael also found his life partner around this time, a powerful soul by the name of Lori Elaine Knight. The two truly were soulmates. They welcomed their daughter, Emma Elaine Stiles, into their lives in 2010, and celebrated over 25 years of marriage together before Lori’s untimely and tragic death in 2022.

Michael won many awards and served in many professional capacities during his more than 25 years at Musselman High. Under his direction, Michael’s students performed across the U.S. and as far away as the Fringe Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland. Early retirement (due to a diagnosis of terminal cholangiocarcinoma) saw Michael nonetheless actively parenting, acting, and volunteering his time with theatre groups, the Berkeley Community Chorus, and the local Indivisible chapter in his community, until his passing at home in the early morning of Sept. 20.

Along with his daughter and mother, left to cherish Michael’s memory are many, many friends who are like family, as well as an extended Stiles family of cousins, nieces, nephews: some of whom recall his patience in playing Dungeons and Dragons with them while young, some of whom recall his introducing them to the world of Broadway on road trips to New York City. Also left to cherish his memory are his father and mother-in law, Larry and Ginny Knight, of Clarksburg, West Virginia; and his five siblings and their families, Teresa Myers (Tony), of St. George; Deborah Stiles (Lawrence Troska) of Limestone Mountain; James Stiles, of Roanoke, Virginia; Richard Stiles (Elizabeth), of Richmond, Virginia; and David Stiles (Tamaki), of Silver Spring, Maryland.

Michael loved anything his daughter Em baked; his sister Teresa’s no bake cookies and pepperoni rolls; his sister Deborah’s soup beans and cornbread (even when she hid carrots and kale and other greens in those soup beans). He loved to listen to recordings of thunderstorms and rain showers, as they reminded him of the many summer storms lighting up the nights at the farm above St. George, where he grew up. Michael was perhaps the founding member of the Stiles family Star Trek Fan Club. And he was, like his father (and all Trekkies), an eternal optimist. “Even in the darkest circumstances, there is always a light–sometimes only a glimmer. Trust that light. Find a way back, no matter what it takes.” (Captain Picard [as spoken by actor Patrick Stewart], Star Trek: TNG).

Michael’s life was a life well lived; he will be missed.

A celebration of Michael’s life will be held on Friday, Oct. 3, at Brown’s Funeral Home 287 Arden Nollville Rd., Inwood, West Virginia, 25428. Visitation will be at 11 a.m. with the service beginning at noon. Procession to the graveside service at Gerrardstown Presbyterian Church Cemetery will follow.

Michael’s complete obituary can be found at https://www.brownfuneralhomeswv.com/memorials/michael-stiles/5641279/obituary.php.