Jim Giles (meteorologist)

Jim Giles (1939–2006) was a longtime television meteorologist with KOTV Channel 6 in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Career

Giles began his career in 1961. While on duty with the United States Air Force, he served as a weather commander at Nha Trang weather station in Vietnam. Giles also served at the Severe Storms Forecast Center in Kansas City. It was during those years that development began on Doppler weather radar. After stints of teaching weather science at high schools, including Oliver W. Holmes High School in San Antonio, Giles joined KOTV in 1981 as Chief Meteorologist.

Giles' Coats for Kids

Since 1986, Giles spearheaded the Giles' Coats For Kids Campaign, which provided warm winter coats for Oklahomans who would otherwise do without. Over 200,000 coats have been donated to date.

Later life

In November 2006, Giles retired from KOTV after 25 years. In his final interview, Giles said he wanted to be remembered for "just doing a good job." On December 20, 2006 Giles died after battling a series of health problems. In the days following his death, local news stations across northeastern Oklahoma paid tribute to Giles, reflecting on his contributions to severe weather forecasting and the culture of northeastern Oklahoma. Among those who paid tribute to Giles were personalities on competing stations such as KTUL and KJRH, as well as past and present colleagues at KOTV.

Legacy

The Giles Coats for Kids program continues, with thousands of coats being donated each year. Giles' wife, Hannah, continues to maintain the partnership her late husband founded with Bennett Steel, Inc. to sell Jim Giles Safe Rooms, which are designed to withstand an F5 tornado.

In 2007, Giles was posthumously inducted to the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters Hall of Fame. The same year, the University of Oklahoma, Giles' alma mater, named a classroom after Giles. Also in 2007, a small park area on Rhema Bible Church's property was dedicated to him.

References

• The News On 6 Honors Jim Giles*Broken*