James Robert Lyles, Jr.

JAMES LYLES

KANE - James Robert Lyles Jr., 75, died at 6:55 p.m., Thursday, July 11, 2024, at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis after a brief illness.

He was born in Carrollton, Illinois on March 3, 1949, and was the son of James "Shack" and Alice "Toots" (Cummings) Lyles Sr.

He grew up in Jerseyville and graduated from Jersey Community High School.

He then went to Chicago, where he attended DeVry Institute and studied electronics. 

For a time, he worked at IBM and on the floor of the Chicago Board and Trade. He then returned to his hometown, where he worked for Sievers Electronics, BJ Schroeder Appliance, eventually venturing off on his own, operating Lyles Electronics in Jerseyville for a number of years. He then went to work for his friends with Mozier Amusements before retiring.

He was of the Catholic faith and was a volunteer with the Jerseyville Fire Department for 18 years and was one of the founders of the River Road Van Club, enjoying many excursions with very good friends.

He married Linda Robeen, and together they were the parents of a daughter, Andrea. He later married the former Sandra Bray on January 21, 2006, at their home in rural Grafton, and together they have been blessed with 18 years of a wonderful marriage.

Surviving are his wife, Sandra Lyles of Kane; a daughter and son in-law, Andrea and Frank Passaro of Naperville; four step children, Jarod Georgevits of Denver, Colorado, Sara (Joey) Baldwin of Alton, Zachary Georgevits of Jerseyville and Cody Skinner of Alton; three grandchildren, Paige, Thomas and Nate; three step grandchildren, Kyra, Jocelyn and Kingsley; a sister, Tonda Pegue of Fieldon; a brother in-law, Roy Young of Jerseyville; his mother in-law, Joy Bray of Jerseyville; his brothers in-law and sisters in-law, Karen and Dean Davenport of Kane, Linda and Kevin Heitzig, Joy Bray, and her companion, Mark Graham, all of Jerseyville, Joanie and Shaun Buchaniec of Boise, Idaho, and Robert and Vicky Bray of Jerseyville; along with numerous nieces and nephews.

In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by a sister, Barbara (Lyles) Young; brothers in-law, David Pegue, Patrick Bray and Michael Bray; and his father in-law, Robert Bray.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m., Thursday at Crawford Funeral Home in Jerseyville.

Private burial will take place at St. Francis Cemetery in Jerseyville.

Memorials may be given to the Jerseyville Fire Department or the Kane Fire Department.

Memories may be shared at www.crawfordfunerals.com.

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