Damien Scott Giles, 40, of Nezperce, passed away tragically on Friday, May 13, 2022. Damien was born on July 29, 1981, in Fresno, Calif., to Bill and Shelli Giles. Damien lived in Visalia, Calif., until he moved to his father’s hometown of Nezperce in 2008.
Damien attended school in Visalia, graduating from Redwood High School in 1999. From an early age it was clear that Damien was very athletic, much like his father and the rest of his family. He loved playing soccer and played throughout school, as well as on several club teams. He attended college at College of the Sequoias in Visalia and Cuesta College in San Luis Obispo, Calif.
Damien began working in agriculture with his dad at a very early age, much before he was able to see over the steering wheel. There was nothing he liked more than working side by side with his dad. It didn’t matter whether it was in the field, on a combine or in the shop. He tried various jobs after high school but his passion for agriculture and working with his hands eventually led him back to a career in farming and agriculture. He was very talented and could fix or weld anything. Most recently he was a farm equipment technician, working for Bell Equipment in Nezperce and then for himself. When faced with a task, his favorite saying was “Just get ’er done.”
Damien had a kind soul with a generous heart of gold, never hesitating to help anyone out. Everyone knew he was only a phone call away.
Damien met and fell in love with Cassie Jo Epeldi in 2014. They made their home in Nezperce and were blessed with a son, Kaden, on Feb. 1, 2016. As a father, his proudest accomplishment was his son and he loved spending time with him. If you talked to him for even a minute, it wasn’t long before you heard about Kaden; about how well he was doing in school, how he liked to help his dad mow the lawn or to tackle some other chore. They were often found playing basketball together at the school or throwing the baseball around. But just like Damien, Kaden’s favorite thing was to go to work with his dad, whether it was in the field, on a combine or in the shop. As a family, they loved going to the beach, camping and taking short trips to visit family.
Damien was known for his friendliness and never failed to let family and friends know he loved them. A big kid at heart, he could always be found at family gatherings teasing his nieces and nephews, cracking jokes and making everyone laugh.
Damien absolutely loved being outdoors. Whether it was wake boarding, snowboarding, roller blading, or golf, he was always on the go. His favorite place of all was anywhere on the water. He spent many summer days going to the lake with friends and family to boat or spend time on the houseboat. It wasn’t long before he conquered wake boarding and took that skill to the snow with snowboarding. In more recent years he learned to enjoy fishing and loved to go on fishing trips with his friends.
Damien shared his dad’s love of playing gin rummy and cribbage, along with his competitive nature. Whenever with family or friends, it wouldn’t be long before the cribbage board or cards would appear, and the challenge would be on. He learned to love music early on. It always played a big part in his life and being a country boy at heart, he especially loved his country music.
Damien leaves behind a loving family that includes his son, Kaden Scott William Giles, of Nezperce; his significant other, Cassie Jo Epeldi, of Nezperce; his mother, Shelli Giles, of Visalia; two brothers, Shane (Annette) Giles, of Eagle; Jason (Kim) Giles, of Lewiston; a sister, Stacey (Doug) Watson, of Visalia; seven nieces and three nephews; and many aunts, uncles and cousins.
Damien was preceded in death by his father, Bill Giles; his paternal grandparents, Kenneth and Virginia Giles; his maternal grandparents, Paul and Jerri Samuels; his uncle, Dennis Giles; and his aunt, Janet Richardson.
Services for Damien are planned for Wednesday, May 25, sadly the same day as his dad’s service just four years ago. The memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. at the Christian Church in Nezperce. There will be a luncheon at the Nezperce Legion Hall directly following the service. The graveside service will take place at 5:30 p.m. at Lewis Clark Memorial Gardens, 3521 Seventh St., Lewiston. A celebration of life will be held in Visalia with details pending. Arrangements are under the direction of the Blackmer Funeral Home of Grangeville. You may submit a condolence to the family at blackmerfuneralhome.com.
