Jacqueline Dean Wiles

Jacqueline Dean Wiles entered this world at home in Indianapolis on a full moon April 18, 1935 and departed this life at home in Indianapolis on a new, waxing moon on May 18, 2021. She left peacefully and painlessly, gradually slipping away after several years of increasing dementia.

She was preceded in death by her mother Emma Dean Miller Wiles and her father A. Donald Wiles.  Left to celebrate her life and mourn her passing are her brother A. Donald Wiles, II (Jeanette), their sons Gregory B. Wiles (Megan), Bradford B. Wiles (Danielle), and Kenton B. Wiles (Natasha), her sister Diane Miller Wiles Elliot (William D.), their children Emily Elliot Casey (Sean), Elizabeth Elliot Wilding (Blue), and W. Rives Elliot, great nieces and nephews Garrett, Grace, Hannah Rose, Hunter, Whitney, MacKenzie Wiles, Emma Dean, and James Wilding, numerous cousins and their spouses.  In addition, members of her spirit family Juanita Lover Stewart, Danyall Stewart, Larry Stewart Latrell Coe, and a myriad of other spirit family members and friends both celebrate her life and mourn her death.

Jacquie was an Indianapolis girl through and through going through the Indianapolis Public School system and graduating from Shortridge High School in 1952. At Shortridge she distinguished herself by chairing “Let’s Do It Again”, an act in the junior Vaudeville showcasing her dramatic and singing skills. She attended MacMurray College in Jacksonville, Illinois, where she performed in synchronized swimming shows, and returned to Indianapolis to graduate from Butler University.

She then set off on her varied life’s journey, embracing life with numerous occupations and activities. These included being a grade school teacher, a social security adjudicator for the state of Indiana, working in her father’s printing company A.D. Wiles, Co., running a catering business, an examination grader for the Indianapolis Public Schools, and most recently a tax preparer for H. and R. Block.

She found time to pursue a number of past times including acting and singing in local musical productions, creating beautiful, hand-knitted and craft items for family and friends, being a walking encyclopedia  of both old and the latest films, “unofficial” president of the Indianapolis John “The Duke” Wayne fan club, a voracious reader and regular at the downtown Indianapolis Public Library, faithful class reunion committee member numerous times for SHS ’52, stalwart officer of the voting polls for decades, and member of the American Culinary Federation.

She also loved nothing more than “soaking up the rays” in the summer at the Riviera Club with her summer Rivie buddies.  All the while she was singing, listening to Broadway musicals on her record player, and sometimes playing her flute.

In her later years, as her health began to gradually decline, through Divine Plan, she found her second family Juanita Lover Stewart, her son Danyall Stewart, and grandsons Larry Stewart and Latrell Coe, and numerous other family members and their friends. Under Juanita’s loving care, she became known as “Granny”.  She loved all the birthday parties and events she was taken to and, in particular, going to the American Legion Post 249 where she did not mind being “The Queen”.

There will be a private, graveside green burial the afternoon of June 8 at Washington Park North, followed by a reception at American Legion Post 249 for those that knew her.

Any contributions in Jacquie’s memory can be made to the American Culinary Federation, 180 Center Place Way, St. Augustine, FL, 32995 or to a charity of your choice.

May she be going from Strength to Strength, Light to Light and Love to Love in her journey towards The One.