Mary Ellen Lile

Life was very hard during the depression and WWII years and her childhood was further saddened by her parent's marriage difficulties. She was very unhappy and at age 19 she left Red Cloud on a trip to Englewood, Colorado with her brother John which is when she met Bob Lile who was home on leave from the Navy. At that time he had completed combat tour against the Japanese in the South Pacific and was now stationed at the Oakland Navy base.

Bob wrote Mary some letters which she didn't answer as, in her words, they sounded too "mushy". But he was undeterred . . and they met again a year later in 1945 when he finished his active duty with the Navy and returned to Colorado. They got married in 1946 and life became "wonderful" in her words and she counted her blessings every day.

Mary enjoyed raising two sons, Larry Douglas Lile and Steven James Lile. She treasured the frequent family camping and fishing outings and loved watching her sons mature to manhood.

She lost Bob 10 years ago. She continued living in her Englewood house and had done so for 61 years at the time of her passing. In the later years her world gradually became smaller as her health and eyesight declined. Through all of this she was always a loving mother, and remained mentally sharp and actively followed world as well as family events.

Mary passed away on June 14, 2014 at 1:30PM, Porters Hospital.