Mary Ann ‘Pat’ Stiles

Mary Ann “Pat” Temple Bennett Stiles, formerly of Charles City, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 18, 2024, at The Cottages in Pella, Iowa.

A memorial service to celebrate her life will be held on Saturday, May 17, at 11 a.m. at Old Howardville Wesleyan Church, 2631 115th St., Floyd.

Mary Ann was born on Jan. 1, 1933, in Grundy Center, Iowa, to Frank and Gertie (Smit) Temple. She graduated from Floyd High School, Floyd, Iowa, in 1952.

On June 27, 1953, she married Dewey C. Bennett at the Howardville Wesleyan Church in Floyd, Iowa. They were blessed with three children, Daniel, David, and Darla. In 1970 the family moved to Kentucky, where Mary Ann took on the additional role of foster mother to a total of 13 foster children, worked as a Teachers Aid, and was active in her church, working as Church Treasurer, Sunday School teacher, and Youth leader. Dewey passed away in February, 1983.

In November 1984, Mary Ann married J. Wally Stiles, in Springfield, Kentucky. During their time together they enjoyed traveling throughout the U.S. Wally passed away in June 1994.

Mary Ann then moved back to Charles City, Iowa, enjoying time with family and friends, bird watching, gardening, crafts, jigsaw puzzles and coffee. She always had the coffee pot on and invited everyone to join her for a cup of coffee and whatever sweet treat she had recently created.

Mary Ann is survived by her son, David (Diana) Bennett, Punta Gorda, Florida; daughter, Darla (Kenneth) Henely, Pella, Iowa; stepdaughter, Sandy Begley, Kankakee, Illinois; sister, Barbara “Boots” Jaeger, Mankato, Minnesota; four grandchildren, four great-grandchildren, several step-grandchildren, step-great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Mary Ann was preceded in death by her husbands, Dewey and Wally, son, Daniel in 2013, parents, Frank and Gertie Temple, step-children Bill and Sally Stiles, and Garnett Begley, two brothers and their wives, William “Bill” and Shirley Temple, Larry “Pete” and Diana Temple, one sister, Francis “Mike” Wilson, and brother-in-law, Dale Jaeger.