Edna Mae Wilcox Stiles, 98, of the Tomotla community near Marble, passed away Saturday morning, May 29, 2021, at Stonehenge Assisted Senior Living in Blairsville, Ga.
She was the daughter of the late William Noah Wilcox and Ethel Lou McBrayer Wilcox. She was born April 13, 1923, in Cherokee County.
She lived in Chattanooga, Tenn., where she worked at Southern Dairies during World War II. Afterwards she moved back to Murphy.
Edna grew up in the Presbyterian faith, then later after marriage, joined Tomotla Baptist Church, where she was a faithful member, attending services until age 96. In her younger years, she was very active in the church helping with Bible School, children’s Christmas plays, and was an active member of the WMU.
She was a member of the Order of Eastern Star 320 Marble Springs Chapter.
Edna was a local charity member, and volunteer fundraiser for the March of Dimes in the 1950-60s for the national fight against polio.
Edna and her husband, Bill, loved Tomotla Community where they lived and raised their family. They were both very active in building the present Tomotla Baptist Church, as well as the renovation of the Old Tomotla School into the community building in the 1960s. She was blessed with an abundance of good health and positive energy for the most part of her life, along with a compassionate nature for humanity that shone through her everyday life.
She was a bookkeeper for the family business of Stile Packing House and Farms as well as a wonderful homemaker. Edna enjoyed cooking, gardening and fishing.
Quilting was one of her favorite hobbies. She made many beautiful hand stitched quilts for her beloved family and friends. In later years, she enjoyed reading, spending time with her dog, April, feeding and watching birds, and the farm peacocks that visited her yard daily.
Edna was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, William Dewey (Bill) Stiles; two sisters, Grace Smith of Hickory, and Reba Woods of Murphy; five brothers, Ralph, Lloyd, Ernest and Dallas Wilcox, all of Murphy, and Guinn Wilcox of Turtletown, Tenn.
She is survived by a daughter, Cynthia Dickey and husband Frank; a son, Rick Stiles and wife Betts, all of Marble; three sisters, Mona Keenum and Carolyn Henry of Murphy, and Helen Martin of Ball Ground, Ga.
Edna was a loving grandmother to her grandchildren, Ethan Dickey, Angela McClure, Holly Christy and Jackson Stiles. She leaves behind three great-grandchildren, Cami McClure, Ryland Dickey and Addyson Dickey.
A private service, officiated by Pastor Harold Stiles, will be held at Tomotla Baptist Church. Burial will be in the Tomotla Community Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Ethan Dickey, Jackson Stiles, Ryland Dickey, Ryan Christy, Brad Lance and Jacob Adam. Honorary pallbearers are nephews, Harold Smith, Don Smith, Dean Wilcox, Phil Wilcox, Gerald Wilcox, Mike Woods, Gary Woods, Ronald Wilcox, Randal Wilcox, Chris Henry and Dwight Henry.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials may be made to Tomotla Community Fund, c/o Alene Keener, 397 Hayes Road, Marble, NC 28905.
You may send tributes to the Stiles family at www.townson-rose.com.
Townson-Rose Funeral Home is in charge of all arrangements.