Chris Giles, 84, of Amarillo, TX passed away on October 11, 2021.
Chris was born in Claude, Texas to Mae and George Giles. She was the eldest of three children followed by Carolyn and Rick. The family moved frequently, living in Arlington, Abilene, Canadian, & Claude, Texas, and Raton, Clovis, & Portales, New Mexico.
Chris began working at the age of 16 for F.W. Woolworth Co. in Vernon. Tx. Chris held various jobs as an admin clerk before joining the Marine Corps in 1959 – 1961. Her job history included working for the state of Texas, the state of New Mexico, and the cities of Carlsbad and Dexter, New Mexico. Chris also worked as a sales associate for J.C. Penney. She was a reporter/photographer for the Plainview Herald, the Roswell Herald, and the Windsock, USMC. Chris was a teacher for the Amarillo Independent School District, teaching English, journalism, reading, and home economics.
Chris graduated from Vernon High School, Vernon, Texas in 1955. She attended Wayland Baptist College, Plainview, Texas and graduated from Eastern New Mexico University, Portales, New Mexico with a degree in English and Journalism. In 1989, Chris received her MBA from West Texas State, Canyon, Texas, in English Literature.
Chris loved reading all genres of books from John Steinbeck, Stephen King, & the Harry Potter series to biographies on Harry S. Truman, George Patton, and John F. Kennedy. Her home was filled with books, over 1000 at last count! In the age of computers and cell phones, Chris used neither…. she preferred to read in her spare time.
Chris was an animal lover. She had bird feeders in her backyard and didn’t neglect the squirrels or the possum who lived under the shed. But her great passion was her cats; she had her own line of Somalis. Her Sagacats won many ribbons and awards when she was actively showing at cat shows. She also adopted stray cats and helped find homes for rescue cats. Her cats were her children; she was known to have kept up to 24 at one time.
Chris was a member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Amarillo, Texas. She was active in the church until her death. The Pastor, Reverend Beverly Couzzourt, arranged with the Volleys for Veterans Honor Guard to do a military presentation of the flag to her sister, Carolyn. Chris will be remembered as a kind, gentle person who was always there when someone needed help. She will be missed by all who knew her and by those who loved her.
Chris was preceded in death by her parents George and Mae Giles and her brother Rick. She is survived by her sister & brother-in-law, Carolyn and Michael Durkin, sister-in-law Myra Giles, nephews Patrick Durkin and Zach Giles, nieces Sharon Durkin, Sarah Whitling, Ruth Tarbox, and their spouses. Chris was also survived by 7 great-nephews and nieces and 1 great-great-nephew.
