Mae Marie Passley Bowles, age 85, of Charleston, died Saturday, March 18, 2023, at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

Born March 16, 1938, at Charleston, to the late Sam "Dago" Passley and Nellie Rose Murr Passley, she had lived in Charleston her entire life.  Mae was a longtime waitress in the Charleston community and the end of such an era.  Her 36-year career included employment at such iconic Charleston restaurants as The Bus Station Café, The Imperial, John's Café, The Red Barn and over 13 years at Bessie's Café.

Surviving are her sons, Frank Stephen (Diane) Bowles of Fruitland and Larry Wayne (Renissa) Bowles of Charleston; her sister, Beverly Watson of New Castle, OK; her grandchildren, Shannon Bowles, Brian Bowles, Tim Hill, Heather Sanders and Brandon Passley, her great grandchildren, Cody, Trevor and Bobby Wayne Bowles; Blair and Bryle Sanders and Hunter and Sam Reese; several great great grandchildren; also, a number of nieces, nephews and cousins.  Mae was a second mom to several other children in the neighborhood.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband, Frank Junior Bowles; a grandson she raised, Samuel T. Passley; her brothers, Willis M. Passley and Edward "Cotton" Passley and her sister, Patricia Bannister Trayers.

Visitation will be from 11:00 a.m. until the funeral hour at 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, March 21, 2023, at the McMikle Funeral Home in Charleston.

Interment will follow in the Oak Grove Cemetery near Charleston under the direction of the McMikle Funeral Home of Charleston.

Online condolences may be shared at www.mcmiklefuneralhome.com.