Mary "Mae" Ridelia COIE, youngest child of John and Elizabeth [(McCLATCHEY)] COIE, was born May 2, 1885, at Tingley.

She grew up on the family farm, always mindful of the beauty of the land, a student of nature, enjoing immensely the birds and flowers.

Mae attended grade school at Cozy Corner and then graduated from Tingley High School. She became a student at Tarkio College where she graduated with honors in 1910. She taught in Clearfield, Tabor, Shannon City, Tingley, and Red Oak schools. In 1918 when the war drums of World War I were sounced and many male educators answered their country's call to serve, she became superintendent of Tingley schools. Later she received a Master of Arts Degree from State College of Washington at Pullman.

The COIE family was active in the United Presbyterian Church of which Mae became a member at the age of ten. She remained interested and was a faithful active member all of her life.

In 1936 she was united in marriage to Will MILLEN of Red Oak, who passed away in 1938. She married J. M. STEPHENSON of Clearfield in 1955. They established their home in Clearfield. He passed away in 1962. Mae continued to make her home in Clearfield after his death.

Mae's daughter Betty (Mrs. Merl CORE), her husband and four children had a very special place in her heart and life. The happiest days were those when the family was with her, and thses trips were frequent. It was such a joy to partake of Mae's gracious hospitality and to share her beautiful philosophy of life. Her friends were many, and they, too, shared in this lady's home and affection.

She passed away February 19, 1972, in her home in Clearfield with Betty at her side. Services were held February 22 at the Tingley United Presbyterian Church with interment in the Tingley Cemetery. It is interesting to note that Mae's mother's death occurred on February 19, 1928, and her last rites were also held in the Tingley United Presbyterian Church 44 years earlier.

SOURCE: Tingley, Iowa Centennial: 1883 - 1983. p. 238. PSI, Inc. Belmond IA. 1983.
Courtesy of Mount Ayr Public Library, September of 2011