Mae Joan Burns-Shiel, 91, formerly of South Whitley, died peacefully at 5:40 p.m., Saturday, July 2, 2022, at Miller's Merry Manor – East, Wabash, where she had been a resident for the past 6 months.

She was born on March 1, 1931, in South Whitley, Indiana, a daughter of the late Orval and Viola (Brock) Joy. Growing up in South Whitley, she graduated from South Whitley High School.

On April 8, 1950, she married Keith Burns.  They made their first home in Huntington then moved to Michigan City.  Keith died in the 1970s.  On June 4, 1988, she married Edwin Thomas Shiel they made their home in New Buffalo, Michigan.  Edwin died in 2006.  Mae eventually moved back to South Whitley.

For 36 years, she worked for the Redamak's Restaurant in New Buffalo, Michigan, a family-owned restaurant famous for their hamburgers.

In her retirement years, she continued to enjoy eating out at the local restaurants in the South Whitley area and taking the occasional shopping trip into Fort Wayne and the surrounding area.

She had attended the Warsaw Baptist Church.

Surviving are her step-children, Trevor (Jonelle) Sheil of Stevensville, MI, Edwin (Deborah) Polk of Glendale, AZ, Krystal (Loyal) MacFarlane of Arizona and Robin Wilson of Glendale, AZ; and several nieces and nephews.

Additionally, she was preceded in death by a teenage son, Robert Keith Burns; sisters, Marie Raypole and Mabel Warner; and a brother, Hobart Eugene Joy.

A graveside service will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at the South Whitley Cemetery.  Arrangements are in the care of Smith & Sons Miller Chapel, South Whitley.

Memorials in Mae's honor are to the Humane Society of Whitley County.