Rosalie Benson Chiles

Rosalie was born in New Orleans on March 25, 1943, just prior to her father’s departure for WWII. She grew up in Houston, and eventually met her loving husband Gene Tate Chiles and they married on April 9, 1966. They remained in Houston for several years and ultimately settled in Austin where they raised their two sons, Tate and Benson.

Throughout her life, Rosalie was active in her community. As a proud Mariner Girl Scout during her high school years, she maintained a lifelong interest in nature and a love for the outdoors. She volunteered with the Austin Nature Center, helping to facilitate activities at Safari, the event that funded the construction of the current facility. Every year, she was a dependable volunteer at Laguna Gloria Fiesta and in the local schools, helping to start the first Project Graduation celebration at Westlake High School. She also raised funds for the creation of the Wild Basin Preserve and was involved in early planning for the Westbank Community Library.

As an active member and volunteer of the Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church, Rosalie attended services regularly and was proud of her grandchildren’s WHPC Scout projects.

She was trained as a lifeguard and taught many neighborhood kids, nieces and nephews how to swim. She found joy in swimming frequently at Barton Springs, Galveston Island and later, with her family at the Jersey Shore. She loved to go to the Zilker Hillside Theater with her family and she always said that “Fiddler on the Roof” was better than Broadway! Her creative and artistic side was expressed through wreaths and flower arrangements made for friends and family, and her occasional landscape paintings (following in her mother’s footsteps). She loved to dance and during wedding celebrations she would be the first, and last, person on the dance floor. Even in her final years, she happily danced at Belmont Village with any willing partner during live music events.

“Granny” was a playful and engaged grandmother to her five grandchildren. Early on, she’d get down on her knees to build with blocks or to create sandcastles with the children. Later, she enjoyed swimming and hiking on the Barton Creek Greenbelt with the grandchildren.

Rosalie was predeceased by her parents, Annette and Walter Benson, with whom she is now joyfully reunited. She is survived by her loving and devoted husband of 56 years, Gene; her two children, Walter Benson Chiles and his wife Sarah Kroon Chiles of Atlantic Highlands, New Jersey and Gene Tate Chiles III and his wife LuCinda Gonzalez Chiles of Austin, Texas, and her five grandchildren: Lorena, Benson, Tate, Andrew and Eliza. She is also survived by her three younger sisters, Annette Hostetter, Patty Pfost, and Bonnie Wilson and their families, all of whom remained close over the years.

Our family wants to thank the wonderful volunteers at two amazing memory loss respite programs that Rosalie enjoyed, The Gathering at Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church and Bright Horizon at Emmaus Catholic Church. Our family is especially grateful for the incredible people at Westlake Belmont Village for their loving care over the last few years.

A Celebration of Life Service will be held on Saturday, November 5, 2022 at 2:30 pm at the Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church at 7127 Bee Cave Road, Austin TX 78746

In lieu of flowers, please donate to The Gathering at Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church. Checks can be made out to “WHPC The Gathering” and sent to: The Gathering/ Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church/ 7127 Bee Cave Road/ Austin, Texas 78746 or https://onrealm.org/whpc/give/gathering