Mary Elvira Easterly

Mary Elvira Easterly, 97, passed away peacefully on Monday, June 9, 2014 at her home in D'Iberville, MS. Born February 6, 1917 in Mass City, Michigan to William and Mary Minnie (nee Penegor) Anderson, Mary has been a D'Iberville resident since 1955.
Mrs. Easterly was a long-standing member of Sacred Heart Catholic Church in D'Iberville and was a member of the Bereavement Committee, in addition to holding a Bible study group in her home.
Mary was valedictorian of Greenland Township High School, Mass, MI in 1935. After studying at St. Mary's Hospital School of Nursing in Quincy, IL, she graduated from Charity Hospital of Louisiana in New Orleans in 1941, with special recognition for outstanding class work and ward duty. Upon graduation, she was enrolled in the Red Cross Nursing Service, and commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Army Nurse Corps, where she served as a surgical nurse and assistant chief nurse at Selfridge Field Army Air Base in Michigan,
She was preceded in death by her parents; beloved husband, Dr. Clay Elliott Easterly; son, John William Easterly; son-in-law, Keene Gwynn Hammond; and her last surviving sibling, Miss Agnes Bernice Anderson of Ontonagon, MI on December 12, 2014.
Mary is survived by her six children: Mary Natalia Easterly of Houston, TX, Clay Elliott Easterly, Ph.D. (wife Dr. Joan, Ph.D.) of Knoxville, TN, Joy Marie Easterly (husband Vinny Lopez) of Largo, FL, Mary Jeannine (wife of the late John William Easterly) of Wooster, OH, Lloyd Lehde Easterly of Largo, FL, Bonnie Marietta Easterly-Spencer (husband Gerald, Sr.) of Houston, TX, and Cathy Maria Easterly of Houston, TX. Mrs. Easterly is also survived by her grandchildren, Rachael Chafin (husband Eric) of Winston-Salem, NC, Clay Elliott Easterly (wife Amy) of Knoxville, TN, Tiffany Smith (husband Jeff) of Grovetown, GA, Evangeline Taylor (husband Eric) of Moscow, Russia, Christy Blain (husband Ryan) of Winston-Salem, NC, Jamie Boyer (husband Jason) of D'Iberville , Jennifer Delancey (husband Henry) of Woolmarket, MS, Jessica Easterly of New Orleans, LA, Elizabeth Easterly of York, PA, and Ashley and Gerald Spencer, Jr. of Houston, TX.
Great-grandchildren surviving Mrs. Easterly are Jonah and Sarai Chafin of Winston-Salem, NC, Violette and Alexander Easterly of Knoxville, TN, Brodie Smith of Grovetown, GA, August and Ellis Blain of Winston-Salem, NC, Izabelle and Emma Dawn Boyer of D'Iberville.
The family wishes to especially thank primary caregivers Shirley McGonagle, Shirley Battaya, Karen Seymour and Tammy Matthews, in addition to long-time cherished friends Mr. and Mrs. Jack (Edie) Oldham, who have made Mary's life in her home as comfortable as possible. Special thanks are remembered to the family of the late Joan C. Guffey, who cared for Mary and was a dear friend for many years. In addition, Notre Dame Hospice, a ministry of the Arch Diocese of New Orleans provided palliative care to Mary and her family and caregivers during her final days.
Friends are cordially invited to a visitation with the family from 10:00 until 11:00 o'clock in the morning on Tuesday, June 17, 2014, at Sacred Heart Church, 10446 LeMoyne Blvd, D'Iberville, after which time a Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Father Robert Higginbotham. Honored to serve as pallbearers are Eric Chafin, Jeff Smith, Ryan Blain, Jason Boyer, Henry Delancey, Gerald Spencer Sr., and Gerald Spencer, Jr.
Committal Rites will be held at the Biloxi National Cemetery following the Mass. Friends are invited to the Easterly family home for a reception following that interment.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Clay E. Easterly, M.D. Scholarship Fund, established by Mary in 1988 to honor her late husband, LSU Medical Alumni Assoc., 2020 Gravier Street, Room 523, New Orleans, LA 70112, or Notre Dame Hospice, 5407 Indian Hill Dr., Diamondhead, MS 39525.
RIEMANN FAMILY FUNERAL HOME, 274 Beauvoir Road, Biloxi, is directing services, and memories may be shared at www.riemannfamily.com