Mary Conley

1931 - 2021

Mary G. Conley, 90, died from complications of Alzheimer's and stroke Wednesday, Dec. 8, 2021, at Baptist Hospital Floyd in New Albany, Ind. Born May 17, 1931, she was the daughter of John Berry and Marie Deibel Guthrie.
Mary graduated from Bardstown High School in 1949 and attended Western Kentucky University. After school, she married Capt. Edward A. Woodard Jr., of Portland, Oregon November 5, 1954, and settled in Savannah, Georgia until his death in 1957. They had two children Tracy and Edward.
Mary and her children moved back to Bardstown in 1957. She married Donald M. Conley, of Bloomfield, on June 6, 1964. They had two children, Dona and Rebecca.
She was a long-time resident of Bardstown of 76 years and very active in her church and community. Known as Mrs. Woodard at the time, she worked at Bardstown Elementary in the early 1960s. She was the "gym teacher," and notorious for pulling young students' loose teeth and well-remembered for it! At Bardstown First Presbyterian Church, she was very active serving as an elder, clerk of sessions and in other leadership roles with the Presbyterian Women's Organization both locally and statewide.
As an avid seamstress, she made clothes for her children, grandchildren, family, and friends. Her personalized knitted Christmas stockings were a favorite of many children well beyond her family. Mary's sewing talents were highlighted in 1998 when she made daughter, Rebecca's, wedding gown adorned with intricate sequins, beads, and pearls. The gown was entered into the 1999 Florida State Fair winning the overall Best of Show. Also, like her father, gardening was a lifetime passion. Canning 40-plus pints of beans, homemade black raspberry jelly, tomatoes and more was an annual event.
In addition to her parents and husband, she was preceded in death by her sisters, Ruth Guthrie Etheredge and Mildred Guthrie Downing; brothers, John B. Guthrie Jr. and Robert D. Guthrie.
Survivors include her brother, William L. (Barbara) Guthrie, three daughters, Tracy Conley Weaver, Dona Conley Rupp, Rebecca Conley; and her son, Edward A. (Anne) Conley; five grandchildren Logan Pinkston, Sarah Pinkston Ross, Louis Pinkston, Allison Conley Hall, Hillary Conley; and one great- grandchild, Walker Hall, plus many nieces and nephews. Mary was always equally proud of the many children she kept for daycare. They and her grandchildren will always affectionately know her as Mimi.
A memorial service of remembrance and celebration of her life will be held at 11 a.m. Feb. 5, 2022, at Bardstown First Presbyterian Church.
Those who wish to remember Mary in a special way may make gifts to the Bardstown First Presbyterian Church or the Greater Kentucky and Southern Indiana chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, 6100 Dutchman's Lane, Suite 401, Louisville, KY 40205.