Stephan Wiles

  Marion Stephan “Step” Wiles passed away peacefully in his home on Friday, August 9, 2019 at the age of 68 years old.  He was owner/operator of MSW Wiles Farms of Blackville, LLC.

     Stephan was born on September 17, 1950 to the late Marion K. and Fairy C. Wiles of Blackville, South Carolina.  He was an only son to a house of 4 girls.  Step grew up with a passion and determination for hard work.  It all began when he was a kid and would visit his granddaddy’s farm (C. F. Creech) and would pick cotton.  It is then that he developed his true passion in life, being a farmer.  At age 11 he got his first job delivering newspapers around town.  He also picked watermelons and cantaloupe for the late Mr. Lucius Hair.  At 14, he started working at Bates Hardware in Blackville.  Later, he finally became that farmer he had so longed to be when working as a kid on his granddaddy’s farm.  He had some very hard times in the 80s and 90s but Step continued to persevere through those many trials and tribulations with faith, hard work and determination.  Poultry farming became popular in his area and he decided in 2000 that he would get into the poultry business.  More hard work, blood, sweat and tears went in to making sure he was doing the job top notch all while still farming his soybeans and corn.  While farming was his main occupation, he also had the job as town Constable for the Blackville Magistrate’s Office from 1993 to 2019.  Always busy, busy, busy, BUT he still made time for his family and extracurricular activities such as hunting and fishing.  He was the President/Hunt Master of the Blackville Hunt Club.  He loved spending time in the woods when it came to hearing those dogs chase deer, and he didn’t have to kill a deer to have a good time.  Between hearing a good race which to him was the sound of good ole’ rock and roll, and fellowshipping with club members, he was happy!  He also enjoyed the time he got to spend with his two grandsons, Case and Carson.

     Later in life he decided to sell his poultry houses because he couldn’t keep up with that and his fields.  He called himself semi-retired, even though he was always on the go as usual, busting his butt getting his crops planted, and the same when it came time to harvest them.  But, he also still found time to take a trip to his watering hole, or cook him something good on his grill, or go out to eat his favorite crab legs and raw oysters.  His family was happy that he was enjoying a little bit of life for a change. 

     He served on the Blackville Farmers Market as well as Barnwell County Farm Bureau boards along with several others in the past. 

     Step was also known to be a true comedian to his family and friends.  He loved telling a good joke and also loved to hear them.  Throughout his illness he kept his humor, always making everyone laugh and enjoyed the smiles he put on everyone’s faces.  He also kept his toughness about him.  Through everything, he still looked out for others…his family, friends, doctors, nurses, etc. He always was thinking about others besides himself!

     Survivors include his loving wife of 50 years, Linda Jones Wiles of the home; his daughter Stephanie W. (Jason) Kemmerlin of Blackville; a son, Wesley Allan (Emily) Wiles of Blackville; two grandchildren, Marion Case and Carson Allan Wiles of Blackville; sisters, Paula (Tommy) Still of Barnwell, Cyndee Wiles of Columbia, Wanda (Richard) Naumann of Hopkins, and Marianne Wiles of Virginia along with a number of nieces and nephews, aunts, uncle, cousins and many cherished friends. 

     Many special thanks to Dr. McCullough and his staff in Aiken as well as his nurse and friend Christy Gibson of Edisto Home Care and Hospice.

     Funeral services will be held at three o’clock p.m., Sunday, August 11, 2019 at Blackville First Baptist Church with Reverends Jeffrey Ray, Ken Frederick and Dr. Thomas Terry officiating; burial will be in the Barnwell Memory Gardens on Reynolds Road. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church on Sunday.

     Memorial contributions can be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN  38105 or the Ronald McDonald House, 2901 Colonial Dr., Columbia, SC  29203. 

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