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Robert Stiles Obituary


Family-Placed Death Notice

STILES, Robert ROBERT (BOB) VERNON STILES Robert (Bob) Vernon Stiles passed away suddenly on Wednesday, August 20, 2009, of a bilateral pulmonary emboli. Bob was born November 11, 1948, to Merton T. Stiles, Jr., and Ferne Sturges Stiles in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He relocated to California in 1956. Bob graduated from Stanford University with an MA in 1974. He taught at Menlo College in Menlo Park, California, and then left teaching to pursue a career in sports management. His international sports management career began with the 1984 Olympic Games, where he was Assistant Competition Manager for soccer. He joined several other managers from the 1984 Games to form International Event Management in 1988. Later, Stiles served as the General Manager for the San Francisco Bay Blackhawks professional soccer team, where he organized more than 30 international soccer matches before joining the 1994 World Cup organizing committee as Director of Operations at the Stanford Venue. Stiles continued as the Senior Venue Manager for the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, managing the Olympic Stadium and serving on the Games Operations Committee for integrated planning of all operations. After consulting for two years to the Olympic Co-ordination Authority for the 2000 Sydney Games and working on the Austrian bid for the 2006 Winter Olympics, Stiles assumed the Vice President of Operations role for the 1999 Women's World Cup, where he organized the operations at all eight stadiums and for the overall tournament. Stiles would go on to launch the Event division for internationally renowned HOK Sport+Venue+Event and then to consult to FIFA as a Security Officer for the 2002 World Cup in Japan, the Morocco 2010 World Cup bid, the Leipzig 2012 Olympic Bid, and the Moscow 2012 Olympic Bid. He worked for three years with the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, and managed the Venue Readiness Team prior to and during the Games. He served as the primary consultant to the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Bid and the Doha 2016 Olympic Bid before joining Sochi 2014 full time this year. Bob was currently serving as Vice President of Games Services and Management for the Sochi 2014 Olympic Organizing Committee where he oversaw venue and village management, press operations, and several operations functions. Bob had extensive experience in planning, implementing, managing and consulting to major world-class sports events, including six Olympic Games, three FIFA World Cups and numerous other international competitions. He has also worked on bids for both Olympic Summer and Winter Games and the FIFA World Cup, as well as bids for other major sports events. Bob is survived by his wife Olga Stiles, son Nicklas Stiles and his fiancée, Erica Parker, his two step-daughters, Julia and Zhenya of Moscow, Russia, and two sisters, JoAnne (Tuey) Keller of Santa Ynez, California and Judith Patterson Meurer of Deerfield, Illinois, a nephew, Mark Keller, and four nieces, Lindsay Keller, DeAnne Mariner, Carlyn Biser, and Laura McDermott. Memorial services will be conducted at 11:00am, Wednesday, August 26, 2009, at Sandy Springs Chapel Funeral Directors, 136 Mt. Vernon Hwy NE, Sandy Springs, GA, 30328, followed by a reception at a location TBD. In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that a donation be made to the Right to Play foundation. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

Published by Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Aug. 24, 2009.
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Memories and Condolences
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I met Bob in high school and dated him for almost four years. He was a reamarkably gifted, intelligent man. I am so sorry for your loss.

Judy Collar Haughton

Judy Collar Haughton

December 11, 2009

Bob Stiles was a man of true elegance and class. He had the patience of Job, and an intelligence that was inspirational. We were friends when inner turmoils boiled and he was a rock of sincerity. We will always have a special place in our hearts for Bob. He will be missed. All our love, The Dolders

Ced Dolder

September 5, 2009

We feel a tremendous sense of loss for a steady friend and a wonderful human being. Bob would do anything for a friend. His zest for life was an inspiration. And his language fluency was a thing of beauty. Bob's spirit comes through in this cherished memory: Rome. 1968. Stanford-in-Germany field trip. Before dawn. After we all stayed out late the night before, Bob woke me to go greet the sunrise from inside the Colosseum. He said in his firm, matter-of-fact way: "you gotta rally, Grau." Bob rallied us time after time.

Larry Gray

August 26, 2009

It was with great sadness that the news of Bob's death arrived this morning.
I knew Bob first and best during the first six months of 1968. We were college sophomores studying abroad at Stanford in Germany. Four years in college in the late 1960's were the most formative years of my life and that time in Germany was the most memorable time of all.
Bob was the one among us who had already mastered German and when we traveled to Eastern Europe and Russia for three weeks he was the one who already knew the basics of Russian. It would have been hard to imagine in March 1968 as we sat in Red Square at midnight in a snow storm how much his life would be intertwined with Russia.
We were 20 year old college students and full of life. Everyone had German nicknames. Bob was Lieber Stiles. Lieber was like "Dear" as in Dear John. Lieber Stiles quickly morphed to just "Lieber".
I last saw Lieber 4 years ago in Paris when he treated myself, my wife Pam, Larry Gray aka "Grau" (another Germany cohort) and Larry's wife Sharon to a fabulous meal in a French Brasserie. He was full of life, full of talk of soccer and Winter Olympics and Russia.
He will be truly missed, but never forgotten.
Though my German has faded, I now realize the better translation for Lieber is not "Dear" but "Beloved".
Auf Wiedersehen Mein Lieber.
Gary Maes (GMites)

Gary Maes

August 26, 2009

Robert and I met as college freshman in 1966. During our undergraduate years at Stanford, we became close friends and grew into adulthood together. After college, we shared many wonderful experiences together teaching at Menlo College, playing softball, bicycling, and just hanging out. Since we became close friends, hardly a day has gone by when he hasn't come into my thoughts. In recent years we talked by phone at least once a year, around the time of our birthdays, which are a week apart. He was the brother I didn't have in my family. To his family: Claire and our children--Jeremy and Heather--and I send our love and deepest sympathy.

Jamie Armstrong

August 25, 2009

To the Stiles family, Mr. Stiles was a committed and wonderful individual. Those in FAB ACOG 1996 wish you peace in the time of your loss.

August 25, 2009

Having met Bob in 1976 while playing for the Harmonie Soccer Club in Palo Alto CA and reconnected with him while he was teaching and coaching soccer at Menlo College in the 80's, my condolances go out to the family and friends. I know that Bob touched many student athletes at Menlo! I will be remember as a fine person!

Karl Buder

August 25, 2009

Robert Stiles was simply one of the most important men in my life; my Father and Coach Lopez are also gone. I always have a need to find the "good" in an otherwise not so good situation. I first thought of Nick who I know from birth. Then I thought of Olga and her family. What I know is this; we meet a lot of people in our lives that actually add to our life experience. Robert did more than that for me; in large part he had a lot to do with the man I am today. I love Robert Stiles, and I am certain that he will always be with me in some way, shape, or form. I will NEVER forget him... I played soccer at Menlo College for Robert and with Robert. We shared a lot of great dreams together. To say I would miss him would simply be an understatement; he has and always will be part of my family...

JOHN ROOKE

August 24, 2009

We will miss you our friend. You will forever be near in our hearts. Wonderful memories we shared together. I know you are with us.
~ Vicki Morris & Debbie Casey

Vicki Morris

August 24, 2009

Red (Ex-student, wrote for the school paper which he advised and played soccer for him @ Menlo 83-84, also lived above him, much to his chagrin.)

We mark the loss of a good one here, he was rock solid, a man of wit, humor, and intelligence.

The world is worse off for the loss, but I can say I am a better person for having known him and had the good fortune to call him a friend.

Bob, it was whiskey neat as I recall ? I will raise a glass of the same to you this night, good times old friend, we were soldiers once, and young.

Big Red (Rojo)

Big Red

August 24, 2009

Terri from Delta Airlines..who has booked his reservations for many years. I am so sad ..He was my all time favorite friend/customer. Thought something was wrong when I got email to say call his sister..but then his name came up on my phone this morning I was so relieved..but only it was someone else telling me he passed away.

Terri Merino

August 24, 2009

I will miss you my friend.

Cordoglianze

Emilio Pozzi

emilio pozzi

August 24, 2009

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