Rolland "Gene" E Wiles

Rolland Gene E. Wiles, 98, of Norfolk, NE, formerly of Grand Island, NE, died Saturday, September 19, 2015 at Norfolk Veterans Home.



Services will be 10:00 AM Tuesday at Apfel Funeral Home in Grand Island. Interment will be in the Grand Island City Cemetery. The Reverend Bev Lanzendorf will be officiating.



Visitation will be from 4-7 PM Monday at Apfel Funeral Home in Grand Island. Memorials are suggested to the Alzheimer's Association.



Gene was born on March 23, 1917 at Hunter, Kansas, the son of Frank and Elsie Mae (Michaels) Wiles. He attended rural country school at Blue Hill, Kansas. He worked on the family farm until entering the United States Army on May 8, 1941. He served during World War II and was honorably discharged on November 30, 1945, having reached the rank of 1st Sergeant, Company B, 27th Engineer Training Battalion.



He married Mildred M. Thayer on October 31, 1942 at Lincoln, Kansas. The couple resided there for 10 years and then moved to Franklin, Nebraska. In 1968, they moved to Grand Island where they remained until 2013, at which time, they moved to the NorfolkVeterans Home, Norfolk, Nebraska. Gene was employed for 10 years as the manager for Farmers Grain in Lincoln, Kansas and was manager of the Franklin Grain Company for 10 years at Franklin, Nebraska. In Grand Island, he was the road sales man for 10 years and then the sales manager for Kelly Supply for 10 years, retiring in 1988.



He was an active member of the Faith United Methodist Church, was involved in the Methodist Mens Group and Usher Teams. He enjoyed doing various repairs and handyman jobs for the church and he thoroughly enjoyed time with his family.



Survivors include his wife, Mildred; two sons and daughter-in-laws, Kent and Becky Wiles, Norfolk, Nebraska, and Trent and Pat Wiles, Hudson, Iowa; four grandchildren, Gina (Aaron) Penn, Eric (Tara) Wiles, Nicole (Peyton) Deterding and Chad (Cindy) Wiles, eight great grandchildren, Alexa and Kira Penn, Pacey and Crosby Wiles, Jaece and Hailey Deterding and Brayden and Kennedi Wiles; two brothers, Pharus Wiles and Lloyd (Allene) Wiles, and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents, eight brothers, Everett, Herby, Deneen, Ross, Hugh, Truman, Arthur and Maurice Wiles and three sisters, Louella Caldwell, Sylvia Parson, and Irene Wiles.