Obituaries

Sally Ann (White) Wiles, age 78, of Rudyard, Michigan, died on May 3, 2025 at her lake-front cabin in Hessel, Michigan. She was born on July 14, 1946 to Byron and Ila (Mikola) White in Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. She was the baby of the family, with two older sisters and two older brothers. Sally’s childhood home was a mere half block from the local school, where she was graduated in 1964 with perfect attendance and as valedictorian of her high school class. Sally came to know a world outside of Rudyard as she interacted with some 100 students in her graduating class, many of whom came from nearby Kincheloe Air Force Base.

Sally attended the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, earning an undergraduate degree in Education with a concentration in Special Education in 1968. She completed her student teaching in Ann Arbor and Livonia, while commuting from South Lyon. Sally earned her Master’s Degree in 1972 from Northern Michigan University in Marquette, driving from Rudyard to attend summer sessions.

Sally married Robert “Bob” Wiles on June 17, 1967. They lived a life full of love for fifty-eight years, making their primary home on Rudyard farmland and also enjoying lake-side relaxation on St. Martin’s Bay. No children were born to them, but they were far from childless. Twenty-six total years of working in education, comprised of twenty-four years in special education and two years in second-grade classrooms, provided Sally a lot of time with children whom she nurtured as her own. She spent the entirety of her teaching career in the Rudyard schools.

Civic-minded and unfailingly energetic, Sally was a moving force in many local organizations for decades. She served as an officer on several boards, including The Mollie R. Kahl Community Library Board and the Rudyard Township Planning Board. Sally served as an election worker and sat as a Board of Review member. She was a founding member of the Rudyard Historical Society. The Rudyard Centennial Cookbook was created and produced by her sustained efforts. Through their generous founding donation, Sally and Bob spear-headed the creation of the White-Wiles Assisted Living Home in Rudyard. Sally was a long-time member and officer in the local chapter of the Michigan Association of Retired School Personnel (MARSP). She was also recognized as an elite teacher through her induction into the national educational sorority, Delta Kappa Gamma.

Sally enjoyed gardening immensely and often described herself as a “farm wife” who processed and prepared the fresh produce that she grew. As well, she was an excellent cook who delighted in sharing recipes with friends and family. Intelligent, insightful and loyal, Sally lived life with a strong work ethic and true compassion for others.

Sally is survived by her husband, Bob; brother, Brian (Chris) White of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and several nieces and nephews. All will miss her dearly.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Byron and Ila; brother, Richard White; and sisters, Helen Porter and Mary Alice Broxston.

A memorial service will be held on July 14, 2025 at a time and place yet to be determined. Memorial contributions may be made to the Mollie R. Kahl Community Library in Rudyard.