STILES
MRS. L. RAE
Leilah Rae (Bamforth) Stiles , " Rae ", age 89, of Leavenworth passed away
peacefully Friday, June 24, 2022 at Twin Oaks Health & Rehab, Lansing
KS. Rae was born October 30, 1932 in York, PA to Mr. Clifton Bamforth
and Mrs. Leilah (Noel) Bamforth. She grew up in Dallastown, PA. Rae was
the first person from her family to attend college, studying music and
graduating from York Junior College and then Juniata College in
Huntingdon, PA. She was the vocal music supervisor for the Dallastown
Area elementary schools until 1956, when she married the love of her
life, Austin E. Stiles , a recent graduate from dental school and
commissioned officer in the US Army. Their first Army deployment
location was to Colorado Springs, CO, where their two sons Mark and Joel
were born. While Austin was deployed to Korea, Rae and the boys lived in
Dallastown to be near relatives. The family then lived in various
locations during Austin's Army career, including Fort Dix and Mount
Holly NJ, Fort Jay NYC, Sagamihara Japan, and then finally Ft.
Leavenworth KS. Austin and Rae built a house in Leavenworth in 1974 and
resided there until 2020 when they moved to assisted living in Lansing,
KS. Once in Kansas, Rae began teaching music again, first at The Toon
Shop in Leavenworth, and then private piano and organ lessons from their
home. She also accompanied junior high and high school student soloists
during state competitions. Rae was an amateur oil paint artist and
voracious reader, and loved birds and animals. She was an active member
of the Philamathian Club in Leavenworth for many years and helped with
getting the Leavenworth Library moved to its current location on Spruce
St. After their retirements, Rae and Austin traveled via rail across
Canada, on a cruise of Alaska, and to visit close friends on sabbatical
in New Zealand. Rae is predeceased by her husband Austin, who passed 10
days prior on Jun 14, 2022, and her younger son Joel R. Stiles of
Wexford, PA, who was taken far too young in 2011 of a brain tumor. She
is survived by her son Mark A. Stiles of Brookline, NH, daughter-in-law
Helen D. Stiles (Joel's wife) of Wexford, PA, and grandchildren Laura
Stiles of NYC, Michelle Stiles of Somerville, NJ, and Kevin Stiles of
Athens, GA. Rae will be interred with Austin at the Leavenworth National
Cemetery in a private ceremony, arrangements entrusted to Davis Funeral
Chapel.  A Celebration of Life for Rae and Austin is being planned for a
later time. Please send condolences to Mark Stiles , PO Box 75,
Leavenworth, KS 66048.  In lieu of any flowers or gifts, please consider
making a donation to the ASPCA or a local pet shelter.