NATCHEZ — Services for Jerry Wayne Iles, M.D., 77, of Natchez, who died Wednesday Sept. 1, 2010, at Natchez Community Hospital, will be at 3:30 p.m. today at the Natchez City Auditorium, 100 Jefferson, with the Rev. Brandt Dick officiating.

Burial will follow at the Natchez City Cemetery under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 12:30 p.m. until service time today at the auditorium.

All friends and patients welcome.

Dr. Jerry W. Iles was born Oct. 18, 1932, in DeRidder, La., the son of Percy Joseph Iles Sr. and Shirley Iles. He was a 1954 graduate of Northwestern State College in Natchitoches, La., and married Betty Joe Thornhill in 1956, in Crowville, La. Dr. Iles graduated from Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans in 1958. After a year of internship, he entered the U.S. Army Medical Service Corps. He served as a captain in West Germany from 1959 to 1962, finishing his military service at the U.S. Embassy Medical Clinic in Bonn. After returning to the United States, the couple settled in Natchez in 1963, where Dr. Iles entered the practice of medicine with Dr. G. Swink Hicks.

During some of Mississippi’s most difficult years, Dr. Iles treated all patients with equal commitment and respect. He had a lifelong love of literature and history, and during four decades, amassed one of the finest private libraries in the state of Mississippi. Dr. Iles was deeply dedicated to education and spent his hours apart from medicine deepening his own knowledge of the humanities and assisting others with their education. Dr. Iles contributed to the college tuition of several extended family members, as well as students outside his family. One of his greatest joys was serving as a preceptor for third-year medical students from Tulane University and from the University of Mississippi Medical School.

Dr. Iles was the first family practitioner in Natchez to be board certified by the American Academy of Family Physicians, and held that distinction until Dr. Tuan Pham joined his practice. Dr. Iles supported a number of local charitable institutions, but his favorite causes were the Natchez Opera Festival and the Civil War Institute of Gettsyburg College. Over the years, he practiced with a number of noted Natchez physicians, including Dr. Gerald Foret, Dr. Mitt Roby, Dr. David Hall, Dr. Brian Mudry, Dr. Walter B. Dawkins and Dr. Tuan Pham.

Dr. Iles was preceded in death by his parents and one brother, Claude Stanley Iles of Columbia, Mo.

Survivors include his wife Betty; two sons, Greg Iles and Geoff Iles and his wife, Betsy; mother-in-law, Codie Thornhill; four grandchildren, Mary Catherine, Madeline, Michael and Mark Iles, all of Natchez; four brothers, Larry Iles and wife, Lois Christian Iles, of Long Beach, Calif., Douglas Merwin Iles Sr. and wife, Angela Contino Iles, of Virginia Beach, Va., and Percy Joseph Iles Jr. and wife, Cheryl, of Temecula, Calif.; one sister, Christie Iles Cassell and husband, Randy, of Shreveport, La.; one sister-in-law, Irma McGraw and husband, J.D., of Weston, Fla.; one brother-in-law, John Thornhill and wife, Ann, of West Monroe, La.; and a number of well-loved nieces and nephews.

Dr. Iles’ family extends thanks to Dr. Vikram Dulam, the fine nurses of Natchez Community Hospital Intensive Care Unit and the hospital administrators. Heartfelt gratitude to Dr. Carrie Iles, Simmons Huber, Colin, Martin and Linda Kemp, Sharon Holley, patients and friends.

Pallbearers will be Greg Iles, Geoff Iles, Larry Iles, Joe Iles, Douglas Iles, Christie Iles, Scott Iles, Colin Kemp, Michael Iles and Mark Iles.

Honorary pallbearers will be doctors and nurses of Natchez.

Online condolences may be sent to www.lairdfh.com.