John Caleb Pyles
Toledo lost a 2020 graduate this past week, John Caleb Pyles passed away after a car accident on October 24, 2020. He was born on February 12, 2002, and spent his short life in Toledo. Our condolences go to his parents David and Shawn Pyles and his remaining family.
Caleb will be missed by so many, this is his story told by those who were a part of his life.
Christina Sorensen:
Caleb loved outdoor activities and he was good at them, Fishing, Deer & Elk hunting, and Duck Hunting with his dog Jacie. He was really good at these things, he was almost always successful! Hunting and fishing were activities he enjoyed doing with his close friends and his dad.
He played baseball many years, and took a couple of years off, he had planned on playing again his senior year, but that didn't happen because of COVID.
He loved logging, and his dream had always been to own his own logging company.
He loved diesel pickups, specifically a Duramax, and he and his friends enjoyed teasing each other about which kind of pick up was better, Ford, Chevy, or Dodge!
His three best friends were Walker Sorensen (friends since kindergarten), and his roommates, Cody Sadler and Brad Debo.
A quote from Caleb's Instagram page is "Ducks 'n Diesel Trucks"
Caleb was always a fun guy to have around, always smiling and making people laugh. He was a loyal friend and a hard worker. He and his friends were frequently helping his mom with her cattle, tagging calves or haying, whatever needed to be done.
From Katie Bowen, Graduate 2020 Toledo High School, and friends:
Caleb was the most loving guy out there. He would never say no to anyone. He was extremely respectful towards not only his parents but to adults and you don't see that much anymore. I appreciated his hard work. But I especially appreciated our friendship of being best friends since day one and I know he's looking down on all of us.
From John Ball, Teacher Toledo High School:
Caleb was a student of mine, we first met when I was teaching part-time at middle school. He was in my 7th Grade Green Sustainable Class. During high school, he was in my Ag Science and was a regular in my Metals Shop where he had developed as a proficient welder. Caleb was also an active FFA Member and excelled in Logging Rodeo where he helped Toledo place 2nd in State level competition. He also trained with me in the 'Milk Quality and Products' contest where he helped Toledo earn 3rd Place State team (out of about 37 teams).
Caleb had a huge personality and had many friends that appreciated his simple but often humorous antics. He had many dreams and hoped to own and operate his own logging company and had already procured some equipment towards that cause.
Caleb had a deep love for the outdoors and was an avid fisherman and hunter. I think that my greatest rapport with him was built when I once caught wind that he had shot a deer and had stalked a blood trail till after dark, but had given up for the night. Several friends of his and I met up with him, with flashlights in hand and we searched into the night until we found it.
Caleb was good friends with my three high school-age daughters and was accepted and regarded as a part of our family. He will be greatly missed and will always be a student that I will never forget.
Toledo High School Principal Martin Huffman:
Caleb was always full of energy, easy to talk to, and always willing to drop what he was doing to help me out on projects we dreamed up.