December 11, 1949 – March 11, 2024
James Ogden Stiles, Jr. died at his home in Coldwater, Kansas, on March 11, 2024. His death was reported on the Canyon Country Zephyr, the website of the newspaper he founded in Moab in 1989.
Stiles was born on December 11, 1949, to Sue Montfort Stiles and James Ogden Stiles, Sr. of Louisville, Kentucky. Stiles was inspired to move to the Southwest after reading a copy of Ed Abbey’s “Desert Solitaire” and became a seasonal ranger at Arches National Park.
Stiles founded the Zephyr in Moab, covering local incidents and gaining a reputation for focusing on conflicts between the environment and development in the Southwest. The Zephyr continued in print until 2009 and online until Stiles’ death. Stiles published a book, “Brave New West: Morphing Moab at the Speed of Greed,” in 2007 and moved to Kansas in 2011.
“He leaves behind family, many friends, and countless readers, all of whom are shocked and saddened by his passing,” the notice of his death read.
