BYRON — Mable (Ray) Ashelford, September 25, 1930 – February 3, 2024. After 93 years of love, laughter, hard work, courage, faith, and dedication to family and friends, we lost our mom, grandma and GG on February 3, 2024. Mom was faithful to her many friends and always had a joke ready to evoke a laugh. She liked nothing more than visiting with her family, friends and neighbors. Many also enjoyed her wonderful meals and desserts, especially her church family. Mable May Ray was born on September 25, 1930, in Scottland, IL to Bluford and Blanche (Bialek) Ray, joining sister, Jean Betty Ray. After homesteading in Colorado Springs, CO her family moved to Byron in the late 30's where Mable attended the McCormick one room school house. She graduated in 1948 from Byron High School. On February 10,1951, she married Byron High School classmate, William "Bill” Henry Ashelford. Mable was a member of the Byron Bittner Bakery Girls amateur softball team, the National Farmers Organization, and was a long-term member, Sunday School teacher and deacon at the United Church of Byron. Together Mable and Bill farmed for over six decades in the Sycamore and Oregon, IL area. Mable was the proud mother of William Ray Ashelford, Ronald Ray (Crystal) Ashelford (Byron, IL), Victoria Ann Holland (Madison, WI) and Robert Ray (Terri) Ashelford (Byron, IL), grandmother to Thomas Robert (Ali Ingram) Ashelford (Byron, IL) and Catherine Elizabeth (Mark) Ragland (Alexandria, VA), and great grandmother to Ruby Isabelle Ragland. Mable was preceded by her husband, Bill (August 31, 2012), son, Bill (August 20, 2023), parents, parents in law Walter and Agnes Ashelford, sister Betty, niece June Bernadine Henry, and nephews Gordon Henry, Joe and Duane Russian. Mable is further survived by many nieces, nephews and good friends. Funeral service will be held 10:30 AM, Saturday, February 10, 2024 at the United Church of Byron with the Rev Tyler Spellious and Rev. Dave Bateman Co-officiating. Visitation will be held from 5-7 PM on Friday, February 9, 2024 at the Farrell-Holland-Gale Funeral Home, 506 W. Merchant Street in Byron, IL. Burial will be at the Byron Cemetery. A memorial fund is established for the United Church of Byron or the Serenity Hospice and Home in Oregon. Visit www.farrellhollandgale.com to leave a condolence or memory of Mable. Time cannot steal the treasures that we carry in our hearts. Until we meet again, Toodle-oo, Mom.
