Mary Ellen Gray Wiley, 78, of Murrells Inlet, SC, beloved wife of Gerald (Jerry) L. Wiley, beloved mother of Meg Laura Wiley and beloved grandmother of Matthew Christian Snell, went to her Lord Jesus on Saturday. She was born on July 27, 1941 in Washington, DC, the second child of
William Ralph and Jean Hamilton Gray. She was preceded in death by her parents in 2000 and her daughter, Ruth Allison Wiley in 2006.
Mrs. Wiley grew up in Prince George’s and Montgomery counties of Maryland, graduating from Walter Johnson High School in 1959 and the University of Maryland in 1963 with a B.S. degree in Elementary Education. Later on she attended the University of Virginia School for Continuing Education. Mrs. Wiley taught Pre-Kindergarten at Arlington United Methodist School and 3rd and 4th grades at Our Savior Lutheran School. She worked as a receptionist and data entry clerk at Levin & Associates in Virginia and was a Substitute Librarian for 7 years at the Surfside Library in Surfside Beach, SC.
In 1962, she met her husband on a National Geographic Society assignment out west. They were married on December 22nd that year in Hershey, PA. They and their two daughters enjoyed living in Arlington, VA, traveling and camping together. They were active members of Faith Lutheran Church for many years.
In 1993, Mrs. Wiley and her husband moved to Murrells Inlet, SC into a Golf Plantation called Indigo Creek. They joined Shepherd of the Sea Lutheran Church where they both were dedicated to the activities and ministries there. Mrs. Wiley was part of the Nurture Committee from 1994 on, serving many years as Chairman and leading the Prayer Group. She also compiled and produced 10 spiritual booklets of Bible verses, prayers, poetry and quotes that she gave out to the congregation each year.
Besides her immediate family, she leaves her sisters, Judith Gray Russell (John), Donna Gray Collins (Edward) and her brother, William Ralph Gray, Jr. (Margie), sister-in-law, Nila Miller Wiley and a number of nieces and nephews and many cousins around the country.
Services will be held at Shepherd of the Sea Lutheran Church, 2637 US-17 Bus., Garden City, SC 29576 on Saturday November 9, 2019 at 2:00PM. The family will receive friends in the church fellowship hall, following the service.
At the request of the family, please consider memorial contributions in Mary Ellen's name to Shepherd of the Sea Lutheran Church at the address listed above, or to the charity of one's choice.
To view these details online or to offer words of comfort through the online guestbook, kindly visit the funeral home website at, www.burroughsfh.com
Burroughs Funeral Home & Cremation Services (843.651.1440) are honored to assist the family.
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