Mary Roney

Mary Ansel Roney

Mary Ansel Roney, loving mother of John and Ansel Roney passed away on Thursday, October 31, 2019 at the age of 94. Mary was born on April 24, 1925 in Elk City, OK. She attended Colorado Women’s College and the University of Oklahoma, and moved to Roswell, NM in 1947 to teach school. On April 15, 1950 she married Wirt Roney, and they ran a sheep and farming business at Cottonwood, NM. After her husband’s death in 1968 Mary continued her education, receiving her master’s degree in Reading from the University of New Mexico. She taught school in Orange Park, FL for a few years, then returned to Roswell, where she continued to teach, specializing in reading until her retirement.  In 2009 she moved to Albuquerque to be near both of her children, where she resided until her death. She will be remembered for her loving, kind, and companionate spirit. Her most valued treasures in life were her family and friends.

She is preceded in death by her mother and father Herschel M. and Hazel Ansel of Elk City, OK; her brother and sister-in-law Herschel and Pat Ansel of North Platte, NE and her husband, Wirt Roney. She is survived by her son John Roney and his wife Ruth; her daughter Ansel Roney; her niece and her husband Mary Kay and Larry Schick of North Platte, NE; her nephew and his wife Ben and Toni Ansel of Roosevelt, UT and her nephew and his wife Patrick and Brenda Ansel of Dumas, TX, as well as their families.

A graveside service will be held at 1:30 pm on Tuesday, November 5, 2019 at South Park Cemetery in Roswell, followed by a reception at Ballard Funeral Home. A memorial service will be held at La Vida Llena in Albuquerque on Friday, November 8, 2019 at 10:00 am.

In lieu of flowers the family suggests contributions be made to the Assurance Home, 1000 East 18th Street, Roswell, NM, 88201 or the JDRF Type 1 Diabetes Foundation, jdrf.org.