Daily Sitka Sentinel

Frank Leo Miles, 81, Dies

Frank Leo Miles

Frank Leo Miles, of Sitka, passed away December 8, 2019, surrounded by the love of his family. He was 81.
He was born in Tacoma, Washington, to Walter and Idamae Miles and raised in Auburn. He graduated from the University of Washington in civil engineering in 1960 and received his masters in civil engineering there in 1961.
He married Jeanie Rey in 1961 and they raised their two children, Lisa and Walt, at Lake Tapps. Frank taught his family to enjoy the things he loved –water skiing, snow skiing at Crystal and Sun Valley and snorkeling and scuba diving in Maui. He was the original president of the green flash club.
Frank had been planning on teaching engineering at UW, but the untimely death of his father, Walt, took him back to Auburn to help his mom run the family sand and gravel business. Little did he know how fast the company would grow. He started with six employees including himself and his mother and the business has now grown into one of the largest construction materials producers in the area.
Boats and fishing were Frank’s passions. In his younger days he raced outboard engine boats. He explored the San Juan Islands and farther north until finally venturing to Alaska where he and Jeanie made their home.
He enjoyed fishing in both Costa Rica and in Alaska. If you had a chance to fish with Frank you were lucky. He loved entertaining family, friends, customers and employees.
He is survived by his wife Jeanie; children Lisa (Tim) Kittilsby and Walt (Julie Girard) Miles; and his cherished grandchildren Jeff, Joe, Matt and Scott Miles, Parker and Eric Kittilsby, Emily and Olivia Girard and Lauren and Bryan O’Dell; two great-grandsons, Brayden and Hudson O’Dell; sisters Patty (Bill) DeGroodt, Alice Erickson and Edi (Paul) Woll; step-siblings Ellen (Charles) Harley, Margaret (Bruce) Ennis, and Jim (Jackie) Schack; and his 101-year-old mother, Idamae Schack.
A celebration of life for Frank was held December 14 at the UW Don James Center, in Seattle. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests donations to the Frank and Jean Miles Endowed Football Scholarship (by calling the University of Washington Tyee Club at 206-543-2234) or to a charity of your choice.