Mary Ashley | March 28, 1952 - September 25, 2022
Obituaries-Pierre / Posted Sep 30, 2022 | 5:36 AM / 521 views
Mary Elizabeth Ashley, 70, of Pierre passed away on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at Avantara in Pierre, South Dakota.
Mary was born on March 28, 1952 to Vernon and Rose (Flynn) Ashley in Chamberlain SD. She attended school in Crow Creek and Standing Rock in Fort Yates, ND before moving to Pierre for junior high. She graduated from T.F. Riggs High School in 1970. Attended South Dakota State University, Brigham Young University, Dakota Wesleyan University (DWU) and the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, graduating with a bachelors in Interior Design. She lived in Lincoln NE working for Child Support Services. Eventually, she returned home to Pierre to care for her father while working with Wildlife rehabilitation, teaching art in the schools, and retail sales. She was active in her church, St. Peters Episcopal Church in Ft. Pierre as the organist and fulfilling other duties as needed. She was often requested to play for funerals and other events at the church in Pierre, and was a founding member of Dakota Sing, a fellowship group from the church congregation who got together to sing hymns in Dakota and eat delicious traditional food. She was a creative, kind soul with a calming presence. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.
Mary is survived by her siblings: John, Wallace, James & Joseph; 14 nieces and nephews and 21 great nieces and nephews.
She is preceded in death by her parents Vernon and Rose Marie; brother Robert and sister Janna and niece Sayra.
There will be a Celebration of her Life at St. Peters Episcopal Church, in Ft Pierre on Saturday, November 5th @10am with burial of Cremains at Scotty Phillip Cemetery with lunch to follow back at St. Peters.
