Mary Bley

Mary B. Bley of Longmont died January 13, 2014, at TRU Hospice Care Center in Louisville following a brief illness. Mary was born November 15, 1929 in Lafayette, CO to Benjamin and Barbara (Vogl) Shipp. The family moved shortly after her birth to the nearby Columbine Mine in Erie where they lived until Mary had completed the tenth grade. At that time they moved into Longmont, which Mary called home the rest of her life.On August 24, 1948 she married Robert U. Bley at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Longmont.Never afraid of hard work, Mary worked in many fields. She worked for 14 years as a telephone operator with Mountain Bell, followed by one year at Safeway. The next 19 years were spent as a house painter working with her sister, Betty, and daughter, Kathy. They would often paint the interiors of the homes her husband Robert had built. She also spent 13 years working food service at Furr's Cafeteria, then several years at Life Products in Boulder. She will be remembered fondly by her many good friends and customers while at her last job at Country Buffet, retiring in 2005.Mary was of the Catholic faith.Mary enjoyed watching the Rockies and Broncos on TV, and liked the occasional trip to Blackhawk. Her life revolved around her dog, Junior, but her heart truly lit up when hearing from or seeing her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.She was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Robert, in 2012; her parents, an infant daughter, two brothers, Harold and Leo, and one sister, Grace.Mary is survived by two daughters, Kathy Axelson (Larry) and Marla Swenson (Craig), and one son, Scott Bley (Shari); seven grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, sisters Dorothy and Betty, and several nieces and nephews.Funeral services will be held 10:30 am Saturday, January 18, 2014, at the Ahlberg Funeral Chapel. Viewing will be from 9:30 to 10:30 before the service. Interment at Foothills Gardens of Memory. Memorial contributions to the Longmont Humane Society or TRU Community Care Hospice can be sent in care of Ahlberg Funeral Chapel. Visit www.ahlbergfuneralchapel.com to share condolences.