Giles Joslyn

    Giles Harper Joslyn, 19, of Muscatine, Iowa died on Thursday, Jan. 5, 2012, at his home.
    A Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 11, at St. Mathias Church, 215 West Eighth Street, Muscatine. The Rev. Joseph Sia will officiate the service.

Casket bearers will be the Muscatine High School Cross Country Team. Memorials may be made to the Preucil Music School Scholarship Fund. Online condolences can be left at www.wittichfuneralhome.com.
    Giles was born on Aug. 26, 1992, in Stillwater, Minn., the son of James and Pamela Harper Joslyn.  In times like these we strive to remember the gifts we have been given by one so young who has left us too soon. Giles brought so much happiness to this life with a smile and kind heart that never wavered though his young life.
    Where there is thoughtfulness, there was Giles, the 2 1/2 year-old greeting strangers in public places by extending his hand and saying, “How do you do?  My name is Giles.”
    Where there is music, there was Giles, singing everywhere, his voice in the children’s choir resonated through the entire church which brought smiles to all.
    Giles was only four when he asked to play the violin and six when he finally got the chance.  Upon moving to Muscatine at the age of nine, he worked hard to master the strings and at 11 years of age, he began playing the violin at Salvatore’s Restaurant, allowing him to save his first $1,000 to put towards the purchase of his first full-sized violin.
    Active in school activities, Giles was a leader, a friend and a good musician. His efforts helped to promote and support the Muscatine Symphony and MHS Orchestra and student body.
    One of Giles’ happiest moments was his travels with the Preucil Music School to Austria in the summer of 2008.  The following year Giles was proud to have made Iowa All-State Orchestra and to have been nominated for and be a recipient of the Roy J. Carver Excellence in Education award and the Brenda-Garcia-VanAuken Scholarship.  He was a graduate of Muscatine High School, class of 2011, and was attending Drake University as a freshman music education major, where he was very happy to have found a home with many others who shared his passion for learning and music.
    He was a member of the St. Mary and St. Mathias Parish and while at Drake he was  active at St. Catherine of Siena Church in Des Moines.
    Those left to honor his memory include his parents, James and Pam Joslyn of Muscatine; one brother, Eli Joslyn of Muscatine; his paternal grandparents, Tom and Janis Joslyn of Clear Lake; his maternal grandparents, Joe and Rose Harper of Muscatine; three uncles, Mike Harper and wife, Peg, of Redwing, Minn., Paul Joslyn and wife, Theresa, of La Crosse, Wis., and Tom Joslyn and wife, Suzie, of Kailua, Hawaii; one aunt, Jane Gruis and husband, Todd, of Clear Lake; and 10 cousins.