Mary A. Ely

Mary Ann Ely, 78, of Niceville, passed away on Monday, April 1, 2019 at Superior Residence of Niceville. Mary was born September 16, 1940, in Jay, New York to Reginald and Lou (Hardy) Storrs. She attended Au Sable Forks High School in Au Sable Forks, New York. After high school, she attended the State University of New York and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She was united in marriage to Billy G. Ely on December 23, 1962 in McGuire Air Force Base, New Jersey. He preceded her in death November 6, 2018. They were married for 55 blissful years.

In addition to raising three children, Mary worked as a nurse for over 40 years while her husband was in the Air Force. She passed nursing boards in New York, New Jersey, Tennessee, New Mexico, and Florida. Possessing a true servant’s heart, Mary loved being an emergency room nurse helping her patients. She enjoyed doing puzzles, reading, knitting, sewing and walking. Her legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of everyone she interacted with as well as those she reached but never met. Her presence made life easier for everyone around her.

She is survived by her brother and sister-in-law, Joe & Debbie Storrs; sister, Flossie Sigman; sister-in-law, Pat Anderson; sister-in-law, Linda Smith; son and daughter-in-law, Christopher and Carrie Ely; Daughter & son-in-law, Laurie and David Knight; daughter & son-in-law, Alicia and Brian Deveault. Mary loved the holidays and making dinners “chicken & dumplings” for her grandchildren; Kyle Ely, Lainee Ely, Makenzee Ely, Tara (husband Justin) Boulton, Carrie Lockett Mathews, Aidan & Michelle Deveault. She was blessed with four great-grandchildren; Kenna Lord, Mason Mathews, Lillyan Mathews & Allyson Mathews; a host of devoted nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.

In addition to her husband, she is preceded in death by her parents Reginald & Lou Storrs, brother-in-law Hugh Anderson and grandson-in-law J.D. Lord.

A Memorial Service will be held at Heritage Gardens Funeral Home at 2201 Partin Drive North, Niceville, FL, on Thursday, April 11, 2019, at 2:30 p.m. A reception will be held at Niceville Community Center (204 Partin Drive North, Niceville, FL) immediately after the memorial service.

The family of Mary Ely wishes to extend our sincere thanks and are forever grateful to all who walked with our mother, nurses & staff at Superior Residence in Niceville, Hospice nurses and case workers.

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