Mary Starnes Thielen passed away peacefully on July 17, 2026, surrounded by her loved ones. She was born in 1924 in Muskogee, Oklahoma, to Clifton Pleasant Starnes and Ellen Hatfield Starnes. She was preceded in death by her parents, by her siblings, Clifton and Hershel Starnes and Betty Starnes Whitten, and by her husband William C. Thielen.

Mary's surviving loved ones include her children (and spouses): William Thielen (Mary Lou), Deborah Manire (Steve), and Martin Thielen (Paula); her five grandchildren (and spouses): Lisa LaFebre-Hester (Jason), Jonathan Thielen (Erin), Ian Manire (Jess), Hannah Manire, and Laura Clemmons (Philip); and three great-grandchildren: Walker Hester, and Anna and Jack Clemmons; and five of her eight nieces and nephews.

Mary graduated from Muskogee Central High School in 1942, and married her high school sweetheart, William 'Bill' Thielen, in February, 1943, as he joined the Army Air Corps. He became an Air Force bomber pilot, and she became a devoted Air Force officer's wife for thirty years, raising their three children. In those thirty years the family moved every 2-3 years to new bases from Maine to California to Hawaii and three stations in the Caribbean.

Mary made each move an exciting new adventure, and stayed active in a variety of ways, including such things as learning Spanish, snow skiing, sailing, modeling, even hula dancing! Mary was a self-taught pianist, first learning as a young girl in church to play the church hymns by ear, eventually learning to play almost any of the favorites of her generation. She could read music enough to learn to play 'Rhapsody in Blue' in her later years!

Mary's husband's retirement as an Air Force Colonel in 1972 brought them to Hot Springs, Arkansas, where they built their dream home on Lake Hamilton. There she enjoyed swimming, water skiing, furniture refinishing, and her great passion of gardening and landscaping. It seemed that Mary could plant a stick and it would grow and bloom! Mary also worked for the USPS for 15 years as a rural route mail carrier. They were members of Westminster Presbyterian Church in Hot Springs.

Her husband passed away in 1993, and Mary remained in the lake house until moving to Vitality Retirement Community in Little Rock in 2011 where she lived for 12 years in her lovely cottage. She joined Faith United Methodist Church in Little Rock. The tornado of 3/31/23 required a move to Woodland Heights Retirement Community. Mary readily made friends with other residents and staff members alike. Mary treated all people with respect, kindness, and inclusive caring even in her final days under medical care.  She was "Mama Mary" to all!

Mary loved her family, her friends, her fur babies and all creatures large and small, music and singing, this world's wonderful diverse people and the gift of our Earth's divine beauty. Her secret to long life? To keep moving in all ways possible. Have zest for life. And be good with God.

Mary's ashes will be joined with her husband's resting place in Hot Springs in a private family gathering at a later date, per Mary's wishes. She wanted to be remembered as she was at her 100th birthday, when family and friends from far and wide gathered together at Woodland Heights!

For those wishing to honor her memory in some way, a gift to the Arkansas Foodbank in her name would please her soul.

Arrangements are by Regency Funeral Home.  You may sign the guest book at regencyfuneralhome.com.