Mary Hadley-Abel
December 14, 1921 — June 11, 2016
Mary Georgia Collett Hadley-Abel passed away at the Odd Fellow Home in Walla Walla, at the age of 94. A memorial service will be held on June 20, 2016, at the Walla Walla Presbyterian Church at 11 a.m.
In her own words “I was born at my grandmother’s farm in Nezperce, Idaho. When the family moved to the Kittitas Valley, it was by horse and wagon along with the children and animals. I went to Ellensburg schools and graduated in 1940. With the help of a $50 scholarship, I attended Central Washington State College before going to Seattle to work full-time in a drugstore. My special fellow, Howard Hadley, was in the Army at Fort Lewis and we married in 1942. He went to the South Pacific the first year of WWII. I wanted to contribute so I joined the war effort as a Navy WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service). Ginger Rogers was there for our swearing in ceremony, then off to Hunter College for boot camp. My billet was on the 7th Floor and we were not allowed to use the elevators. After Navy schooling at Indiana University, I was promoted to Storekeeper 3rd Class and eventually to SK 2nd Class. The Navy allowed me to muster out when my husband returned stateside after 3½ years.
Our home was made in the Ellensburg area, where our three sons were born. While in Ellensburg area I took advantage of my G.I. Bill and took flight training, ending with my private pilot’s license. This was a “highlight of my life.” In 1954 we moved to Auburn and became part time farmers. It was there that kids, school activities, PTA, and church participation became more important. When the youngest son went to school, I felt I could think about working again. An opportunity arose, and my husband and I started “Hadley Floor Covering” in Auburn, WA. We expanded and at the end of 10 years we decided we were working too hard and the boys weren’t interested in taking over, so we sold out. We moved to Tucson, Ariz. It was there my husband of 36 years and I parted company. Maui, Hawaii had a job for me and a chance to start over. I enjoyed the Island and climate for 7 years before retiring and returning to Auburn. Ed Abel had been a long term friend. It wasn’t long before we decided two could have more fun than one. We were married and lived at Rio Verde. Ed passed away 10 years later.
The constant love of my life has been travel. To Mexico and Alaska with an Airstream trailer, by auto to the National Parks; to Europe, Japan, Thailand, China, New Zealand, Australia, three cruise vacations, one through the Panama Canal and also Western Samoa.
It was a privilege for me to represent Auburn as runner-up to Queen Charlotte at the Good Ole Days Celebration in the early 2000’s. I feel blessed to have been able to live at such an interesting time in history.”
Mary’s memory is survived by a sister, Josephine Lackman of Sonita, Ariz.; three sons, Jay Hadley (Beth) of Italy, George Hadley (Wilma) of Australia, and Kirk Hadley (Wanda) of Walla Walla; 12 grandchildren, nine great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death a sister, Arevilla (Stubblefield) Schultz; two brothers, Howard Stubblefield and Emory Stubblefield; and two husbands, Howard Hadley and Ed Abel.
