Flora Mae Ashford, 97
God saw you were getting tired, and the cure was not to be; so, He put His arms around you and whispered, “Come to Me.” With tearful eyes, we watched you and saw you pass away. Although we love you dearly, we could not make you stay; a golden heart stopped beating; hardworking hands at rest. God broke our hearts to prove to us that He only takes the best.
She was born July 21, 1929 to the late Albert Milton Marshall Sr. and Minnie Pearl Skinner Marshall in Woodlawn. She died Friday, July 24, 2026, at St. Joseph Hospital in Lexington.
She accepted Christ at an early age. She was the widow of Henry Anthony Ashford Sr. She was a retired housekeeper, where she was employed for many years at Life Care Facility, formerly known as Federal Hill. She loved watching her soap operas, Young and the Restless and Bold and the Beautiful, as well as watching movies on the Lifetime Channel.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Minnie Pearl Skinner and Albert Milton Marshall Sr.; three sisters Mary Louise Marshall, Mary Willie Stewart (Sissy), and Mary Christine Smith; four brothers John W. Edward (Doc) Marshall, James Bryan (JB) Marshall, Albert Milton (Junior) Marshall, and Richard Preston Marshall; one son, Henry Anthony Ashford Jr.; one grandson Marshall Elliott Ivory Ashford-Taylor; and one great-great grandson Dorian Lee’Anthony Railey.
She is survived by three daughters, Linda Pearl Marshall and Phyllis Dorian Marshall, both of Bardstown, and Vivian Theresa Ashford of Flower Mound, Texas; four grandchildren Lucretia Railey, Elisha Railey (Jimmy Green), Michael ‘Von’ Poynter (Lynna), and Danell Bader; four great-grandchildren, Antonio S. Railey, Cameron Poynter, Zoie Poynter, and Genevive Green; and three great-great-grandchildren, Xander King Railey, Phoenix Saint Railey, and Kai Legacy Railey.
The funeral is 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, at St. John AME Zion Church in Bardstown with burial in Bardstown Cemetery.
Visitation is 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026, at the church.
Barlow Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
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