Mary Cunningham Ashley
September 1, 1928 ~ August 17, 2009
Resided in:
Asheville, NC
Mary C. Ashley died unexpectedly Monday, August 17, 2009.
A native of McCaysville, Ga., she was the daughter of the late Mark C. and Buena Vista Whitfield Cunningham and wife of the late Bill Ashley, Jr., who died in 2007.
Mrs. Ashley was a member of Skyland United Methodist Church and a retired nutritionist with the Buncombe County Health Department.
She is survived by her daughter, Ann Ashley Leonard and her husband, Mitch, of Arden; son, Mark Ashley and his wife, Leigh Anne, of Pass Christian, Miss.; seven grandchildren, Sarah, Katelyn, Amy, Will, Lindsay, Ashley and Sarah Hannah. She also is survived by two sisters, Frances Pledger of Brevard and Ann McElheney of Panama City, Fla.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 am Thursday at Skyland United Methodist Church conducted by the Rev. Keith Turman. The family will receive friends following the service. Interment will be in Calvary Churchyard.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to ABCCM, Medical Clinic, 155 Livingston St., Asheville, NC 28801; Meals on Wheels, 146 Victoria Road, Asheville, NC 28801 or Skyland United Methodist Church, 1984 Hendersonville Road, Asheville, NC 28803.
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Mark and Ann,
Please know that all of you are in our thoughts and prayers.
Your Mom was a great lady…kind, gentle and ever so good!
Our love and prayers are with all of you,
Tommy and Jessie Koontz
Mark,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this difficult time.
Mark,
I am so sorry to hear of your loss. The thoughts and prayers of the LaPlatney family are with you and your family during this difficult time.
Chris
Mark and family
We are all so sorry and saddened to hear of your loss. Eileen and my prayers are with you.
Now being in my fifth month of volunteering, something I’ve noticed is that there is a generation of unsung heroes that contribute many hours in the volunteer labor force. Not all seniors retire to enjoy a life of leisure. Many re-enter the workforce as volunteers. Consider how volunteer services are necessary in our society. Our senior community really plays a bigger role than most people know.
Mary volunteered at the ABCCM clinic where I volunteer. She was 80 years old and passed away yesterday. I looked forward to seeing her every Wednesday. I’d catch up and see how she was doing. She had just moved into a retirement community and was still settling in. Prior to that, she lived in a house that she and her deceased husband built over 40 years ago. It was a traumatic transition for her to leave her old home for this new community. So every week when I saw her, I’d get her to tell me about people she’s met and some nice things about being at the community. We wouldn’t talk for too long because there was always work to be done. Mary wanted to be busy. And whatever work she was doing, she took particular care that it was done right. What impressed me most was watching her file charts away. Our charts are stacked in bookshelves from the ground going up to the ceiling. I’d have to put away the high ones for her, but the low ones, she managed to do herself. She was able to get on her knees and find the right spot for her charts to go. When she finished her work, she’d always sneak up behind my shoulder and say, ‘Diego, can I file those for you?’ Half the time she’d catch me off guard and I would say, ‘Oh thank you Mary, yes… yes you can.’ Tomorrow will be Wednesday. I take comfort in knowing she is now with her husband she so often spoke dearly of.
I’m thankful for meeting Mary. Her memory is something I’ll hold with me. She is a shining example of what a community can gain from the members of her generation. If I’m in a grocery store in line with someone counting pennies or behind someone in the left lane with their right blinkers on, I’ll stop to think for a minute about what a true treasure we have really have.
Mark and family,
Our deepest condolences to you and your family. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all.
Mark,
Please accept my sincere condolences at this most difficult time.
Into your hands, O merciful Savior, we commend your servent Mary. Acknowledge, we humbly beseech you, a sheep of your own fold, a lamb of your own flock, a sinner of your own redeeming. Receive her into the arms of your mercy, into the blessed rest of everlasting peace, and into the glorious company of the saints in light. AMEN
It saddened me to learn of Mary’s death. I worked with Mary in the WIC Program at Buncombe County Health Department. She was always one of my favorite people. She was kind, funny, smart, and patient. Even though it’s been years since I’ve seen Mary, I remember her as clearly as if she was standing in front of me now.
This world will miss her greatly’? but Heaven is celebrating her arrival!
God bless you and keep you in his loving arms.
Kathy Rice
Family and Friends – I’m so sorry to hear about Mary’s death. She will be missed by so many people whose lives she touched over the years. When I came to Skyland UMC years ago, she was among the first to welcome me to her church family and the activities she enjoyed; our Evening Circle meetings and its various projects where we always had such a good time working and sharing together and with others.
I know that she is now in Heaven with Bill, and that thought will help to ease the sorrow of her passing. I wish you all God’s peace as you continue on with your healing journey.
With love,
Carol Potts
Ann – our thoughts and prayers are with you during this time.
The U.S. Navy Seabees send their heartfelt condolences to the family of Mary Cunningham Ashley. You are in our thoughts and prayers at this very difficult time.
Vr/CMDCM(SCW)Jim Farbanks
To Ann Ashley Leonard and Mark Ashley,
I am so very sorry for the sudden death of your mother Mary. She sat with me at Givens Vesper services August 09. I was welcoming her here. I have been living in Assisted Living here for 6 years and I was encouraging her to learn to enjoy living here.
We talked of both of you and I especially asked about you Mark. She said you would be coming soon. Ann, I thought I would get to see you since you would be nearby and visiting Givens often.
You have my sincere sympathy. You know your Mom and I shared our September 01 birthdays. I will be 90 and plan to have a drop-in party in the Skyland United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall Saturday Sept. 05, 2:00 – 4:00 pm.
Love and prayers to you both and to your families, your 7th grade teacher at Valley Springs,
Elizabeth R. Gibbs
Dearest Ashley, Ron and I are so sorry for your loss. Although we didn’t get a chance to meet your grandmother, we know by knowing you that she was a wonderful, sweet, kind and caring person. Please know that our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. All our love, Ron & Amy Bowers
I am sorry to hear about your mother. Prayers of courage and strength are sent to you and your family.
Ann –
Don’t think of her as gone away,
Her journey’s just begun.
Life holds so many facets,
This earth is only one.
Just think of her as resting
From the sorrow and the tears,
In a place of warmth and comfort,
Where there are no days and years.
Think how she must be wishing
That we could know today,
How nothing but our sadness
Can really pass away.
And think of her as living
In the hearts of those she touched,
For nothing loved is ever lost,
And she was loved so much.
by Helen Steiner Rice
Sweet smile, loving ways, that special touch to make each of us welcome in her home as well as a very graceful dancer.
Mark and family,
Our most sincere condolences to you at this difficult time. The Housing Department and Balfour Beatty Communities extend heartfelt prayers.
We are so sorry to learn of the sudden death of our cousin who we all called Corky. She was a precious person. Our prayers are with all of the family.
Mary George & Peggy
Please know of our prayers and condolences in the loss of your Mother.
From the CBC Memorial Chapel
Mark and family,
So very sorry and saddened to hear of your sudden loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
I am so sorry to hear about your Mother, my thoughts and prayers are with you.
Condolances for your loss, prayers for you and your family.
CUCM Hatcher
NMPS Gulfport
Dear Mark and Ashley Family,
Val and I are saddened by the loss of your mom. Know that you are in our thoughts and prayers.
Mark & Family,
My deepest condolences. There are no words that can comfort you at this time. However take peace in knowing that thier are many who stand by you in this time of sorrow.
To Mary’s family,
I am greatly saddened to learn of Mary’s passing. I worked with Mary for many years at the Buncombe Co. Health Dept. ‘in the old days’! Mary was an amazingly kind and beautiful person, and a true Southern lady; always gracious and unassuming. I had seen Mary a while back at the grocery, and it was so wonderful to spend a few minutes chatting and catching up. One special memory I have of Mary is how kind she was to help my husband understand his diet when he first became diabetic, something she didn’t have to do. Even so, the genuine concern and caring she shared with so many of our HD patients over the years meant so much in their lives. We are all so blessed to have known her. Please accept my deepest condolences in the loss of this lovely lady.
Ann and Mark,
Please accept our sincere condolences and prayers for healing at this most difficult time. You were certainly blessed with loving parents and they too were blessed with a loving family.
Mary Ann and Tom Wells
To: The Ashley Family,
We are so sorry for the lost of your Mother, our prayers are with you. God Bless you!
Mark & Family,
So sorry to learn of the loss of your Mother. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all during this difficult time.
To the Ashley Family:
My deepest condolences on the loss of your dear mother. May God grant you comfort and peace during this time of sorrow.
Bonnie Lindley McGerr
Mark & Family,
Our sincere condolences on the loss of your mother.
Mark and Ann,
So sorry to hear about the loss of your mother. I hope the knowledge that she is with God will come as a comfort in the weeks and months ahead. My family’s thoughts and prayers are with you during this time of loss.
Ann and Mark, I am so sorry to hear of your Mothers passing, may God Bless you with his grace during this difficult time, you all will remain in my prayers.
Sincerely,
Michael Randall
Ann,
So sorry to hear about the lose of your Mother. Mothers are so precious to us. You are in my thoughts and prayers. May God Bless you all.