{{Short description|American politician (1945–2026)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2025}} {{Infobox officeholder |name = Rodney Pyles |image = |caption = |office = Member of the West Virginia House of Delegates from the 51st district |term_start = December 1, 2016 |term_end = December 2020 |predecessor = Brian Kurcaba |successor = Joe Statler |birth_name = Rodney Allen Pyles |birth_date = {{Birth date|1945|6|21}} |birth_place = |death_date = {{Death date and age|2026|4|7|1945|6|21}} |death_place = |party = Democratic |alma_mater = West Virginia University (BA, master's) |spouse = {{marriage|Carol Louise Wrobleski|1972}} |children = 1 }}
'''Rodney Allen Pyles''' (June 21, 1945 – April 7, 2026) was an American politician who served in the West Virginia House of Delegates from the 51st district from 2016 to 2020.
==Early life== Rodney Allen Pyles was born on June 21, 1945, as the fourth child of Lucy (née Scarcella) and Melford J. Pyles.<ref name="obit">{{Cite web |url=https://www.fredjenkinsfuneralhome.com/obituaries/rodney-pyles?ttm_pid=211217544 |title=Rodney Allen Pyles |website=Fred L. Jenkins Funeral & Cremation Services |date=April 2026 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20260411002128/https://www.fredjenkinsfuneralhome.com/obituaries/rodney-pyles?ttm_pid=211217544 |archive-date=2026-04-11 |url-status=live}}</ref> He was raised at Wiles Hill in Morgantown, West Virginia. He graduated from Morgantown High School in 1963.<ref name="obit"/> He graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in politicial science from West Virginia University (WVU).<ref name="obit"/><ref name="beckleyan">{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/beckley-post-herald-beckleyan-named-12/195296897/ |title=Beckleyan Named |date=1977-01-12 |newspaper=Beckley Post-Herald |page=12 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2026-04-10}}{{Open access}}</ref> He attended the university on a Benedum Scholarship and graduated from WVU with a master's degree in political science in 1967.<ref name="obit"/><ref name="beckleyan"/><ref name="ab">{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-raleigh-register-a-b-gets-new-sociol/195296132/ |title=A-B Gets New Sociology Prof |date=1969-08-15 |newspaper=The Raleigh Register |page=6 |via=Newspapers.com |access-date=2026-04-10}}{{Open access}}</ref> At the university, he worked as a research assistant and student librarian. He was a member of Pi Sigma Alpha, Phi Alpha Theta, Young Democrats, Astronomy Club, and the university's orchestra.<ref name="ab"/>
==Career== In August 1969, Pyles joined Alderson Broaddus University as a sociology professor.<ref name="ab"/> From 1971 to 1977, he was assistant curator at WVU's library.<ref name="obit"/><ref name="beckleyan"/> In 1977, he was appointed as state archivist by Governor Jay Rockefeller.<ref name="obit"/><ref name="beckleyan"/> He then returned to Morgantown and served as the assessor of Monongalia County for over 20 years.<ref name="obit"/>
Pyles was a Democrat. He served in the West Virginia House of Delegates, representing the 51st district, from 2016 to 2020.<ref name="obit"/><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.wvlegislature.gov/House/lawmaker.cfm?member=Delegate%20pyles |title=Rodney A. Pyles (D - Monongalia, 51) |publisher=Wvlegislature.gov |access-date=2019-01-03}}{{dead link|date=April 2026}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://wajr.com/pyles-touts-record-as-reason-voters-should-send-him-back-to-charleston/ |title=Pyles touts record as reason voters should send him back to Charleston |publisher=Wajr.com |date=2018-10-19 |access-date=2019-01-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190706083213/https://wajr.com/pyles-touts-record-as-reason-voters-should-send-him-back-to-charleston/ |archive-date=2019-07-06 |url-status=dead}}</ref> He sponsored a bill to ban the declawing of cats.<ref name="obit"/> In 2018, Pyles and the Democrats swept all five seats in the 51st district, the largest multi-member district in the House.<ref>{{Cite news|date=November 8, 2018|title=Monongalia and Marion counties form blue wall in very red West Virginia|work=West Virginia MetroNews|url=https://dev.wvmetronews.com/2018/11/08/monongalia-and-marion-counties-form-blue-wall-in-very-red-west-virginia/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220116134708/https://dev.wvmetronews.com/2018/11/08/monongalia-and-marion-counties-form-blue-wall-in-very-red-west-virginia/ |archive-date=2022-01-16 |url-status=dead}}</ref> As a result, the Monongalia County delegates, all Democrats, called themselves “The Fab Five” and frequently voted and worked together on bills.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Croup|first=Josh|date=October 5, 2020|title=2020 marks last election before House of Delegates undergoes sweeping change|work=WDTV|url=https://www.wdtv.com/2020/10/05/2020-marks-last-election-before-house-of-delegates-undergoes-sweeping-change/}}</ref> In 2020, he was defeated for re-election by former Republican Delegate Joe Statler, breaking the all-Democratic delegation.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.statesmanjournal.com/elections/results/race/2020-11-03-state_house-WV-49267/ |title=2020 West Virginia House of Delegates District 51 Election Results |date=2020-11-30 |work=Statesman Journal |access-date=2026-04-10}}</ref>
==Personal life== Pyles married Carol Louise Wrobleski on May 21, 1972. They had one daughter, Janessa Louise.<ref name="obit"/> He was a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Monongalia County Historical Society, the West Virginia State Historical Society, the Sons and Daughters of Italy, Kiwanis Club, and the Morgantown Landmarks Commission.<ref name="obit"/> He was Catholic and a member of St. Mary's Roman Catholic Church in Star City.<ref name="obit"/>
Pyles died on April 7, 2026, at the age of 80.<ref name="obit"/><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.wboy.com/news/monongalia/former-monongalia-county-delegate-dies/ |title=Former Monongalia County Delegate Dies |date=2026-04-09 |work=WBOY |last=Hines |first=Alex |access-date=2026-04-10}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pyles, Rodney}} Category:1945 births Category:2026 deaths Category:Politicians from Morgantown, West Virginia Category:West Virginia University alumni Category:Alderson Broaddus University people Category:Democratic Party members of the West Virginia House of Delegates Category:20th-century American archivists Category:21st-century members of the West Virginia Legislature