Anna L. Ashley

Anna Louise Ashley, a champion of early childhood education, conservator of the Nasson College legacy, and longtime resident of Springvale, Maine died on May 2nd at Southern Maine Health Care after a long illness. She was 76. Mrs. Ashley was a loving mother to five children and twelve grandchildren, all of whom survive her.Mrs. Ashley was the daughter of Anna Murphy St. Amand and Gerald St. Amand. She attended Nasson College where she met Albert J. Ashley. After they married in 1959, the couple moved to Norfolk, Virginia. When Mr. Ashley completed his term with the Navy, they moved briefly to New Britian, Connecticut. They returned to Springvale, Maine in 1965. Mrs. Ashley remained a citizen of Springvale until 2012 when an illness required her to move to an assisted living community.In 1971, Ms. Ashley founded the Cottage Grove Children's Center. She traveled often to Augusta to lobby the state for affordable daycare for pre-school children. Cottage Grove was one of the first daycare centers to offer subsidized childcare to working parents under title XX, a bill she helped pass through her advocacy. The Children's Center is still operating in York County.After retiring from The Children's Center, Mrs. Ashley joined her husband's public relations firm, selling advertising specialties. The marriage ended in divorce in 1991. Mrs. Ashley went on to become an award winning sales person for Geiger Advertising Specialties.She was active member of the Nasson College alumni association and, in 1998, was instrumental in establishing the Nasson Heritage Center, a place for alumni to gather and to house the archives of the closed college. She, along with committee members Connie Witherby, Rick Schnieder and Pete Smith founded the Nasson Community Center in 2002. The Nasson Community Center remains a hub of community activity in Springvale. Her surviving children and partners include David and Karen Ashley of Eliot, Maine; Daniel and Laura Ashley of Fairfax, Virginia, Michael Ashley and Richard Tucker of Brooklyn, NY; Mary Ashley and Brad Wieners of Nyack, NY; and James and Kirsten Ashley of Marsten Mills, Massachusetts. She was immensely proud of her grandchildren: Rick, Ashley, Marisa, Meredith, Theodore, Gabriel, Ella, Kaiyn, Rowen, Nate, Gus and Silas.Mrs. Ashley also owned and managed a cottage, The Westerly, on Goose Rocks Beach in Kennebunkport. Her favorite place on earth was the front porch of that house. She was there last on Easter of 2014. Watching two of her grandchildren play on the empty sand, she remarked that she had never once tired of that view.A funeral service will be held on Saturday at 11 am at the Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home, 580 Main Street, Springvale. A reception will follow at the Nasson Little Theater.In lieu of flowers donations can be made to The American Cancer Society (https://donate.cancer.org/index), The American Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.org/) or the Nasson Community Center (Donations can be sent to: The Nasson Community Center, 457 Main Street Springvale, ME 04083).Condolences may be expressed at www.blackfuneralhomes.com