Alabama has lost a Christian leader and a political activist.
John Giles died Saturday at age 70 in his home in Luverne. He had surgery last week for an aortic aneurysm.
Giles made a difference.
He was a banker. A political kingmaker. A governor’s cabinet member twice. A pro-life activist. A candidate for Lt. Governor. An early founding father of the Christian Coalition of Alabama. An opponent of gambling. A farmer. An author. He served in so many ways that I likely am forgetting some.
John Giles was an Alabama version of a Renaissance man.
In 1989, he served as Small Business Advocate in the Guy Hunt administration.
In 1994, he ran in the Republican primary for Lt. Governor. He lost to Charlie Graddick, who then said that John Giles was the nicest opponent he ever had.
From 1997 to 1999, he served in the cabinet of the second Fob James administration as Appointments Secretary, working to make sure that officials were God-fearing Constitutionalist Republicans.
In 1999, he headed the opposition to the lottery amendment proposed by Gov. Don Siegelman and master-minded the resulting ‘no’ vote by the people of Alabama.
While doing all this, he was a Godly husband to Deborah and a Christian father to three children. In 1999, they lost son Micah at age 19 to an automobile accident, which deeply affected John and his entire family.
John later wrote a book inspired by the loss of Micah Giles, “Called Home.” Now that John himself has been called home, he and Micah are reunited.
Arrangements will be held on Monday, January 19, as follows:
Holy Spirit Parish, 8570 Vaughn Road, Montgomery.
- Visitation: 10 a.m. (Parish Hall)
- Rosary: 10:30 a.m. (Church)
- Funeral Mass: 11 a.m.
Graveside details will be announced.
Jim Zig Zeigler is a contributing writer for Yellowhammer News. His beat includes the positive and colorful about Alabama – her people, events, groups and prominent deaths. He is a former State Auditor and Public Service Commissioner. You can reach him at [email protected]
