Bessie Mae (Lillie) Rosenthal was born on Aug. 5, 1920, to Myrtle and Burt Lillie, near Brownsdale, eighth in line of nine children.
Mae went to the Sargent school for first through third grades. Her family moved to the Austin area in 1930, and she attended Austin schools through the 8th grade.
At the age of 18, Mae met her future husband, Harland Rosenthal, at a picnic, set up by her brother, Ralph. They married in December, 1939. Harland and Mae owned and operated the Rosenthal Greenhouses for many years, and were avid gardeners.
To this union came two children, Carol Jean Rosenthal (Everson) of Caldwell, Idaho, and Robert Rosenthal of Austin.
For many years, Mae ran Mae’s Tiny Tot Motel, day care out of their home. Mae had as many as 500 kids at one time or another, during her 13 years in the day care business.
Mae’s hobbies included embroidery and a collection of pitchers (numbering into the hundreds). The pitchers were purchases and gifts from as far away as England and Germany.
Mae lived on the same property all of her adult life, and passed away May 30, 2008. Mae was preceded in death by her husband, Harland, eight brothers and sisters, and her parents. Mae is survived by a daughter, Carol (Jon) Everson or Caldwell, Idaho, and son, Robert (Mary) Rosenthal of Austin, grandchildren, Michael (Angie) Everson, Kevin (Maria) Everson, Sherrie (Todd) Elsberry, Carter (Tina) Rosenthal, Carissa (Scott) Deters, Caryn Rosenthal, Peggy Young, Valeri (Tom) Jacobsen, 20 great-grandchildren, sisters-in-law Gladys Lillie and Charlotte Lillie of Austin, Elizabeth Lillie of Waltham, and Maxine Lillie of Long Beach, Calif.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m., Tuesday, at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary with Stephen Dickie officiating. Interment will be in the Grandview Cemetery in Austin. Visitation will be at Clasen-Jordan Mortuary on Tuesday for one hour before the service.