Versi Vanessa Ashley Obituary (1914

Versie Vanessa Ashley, 98, longtime Benton City resident, entered into rest on October 1, 2012 at Richland Life Care Center. She was born on March 14, 1914 to Thomas and Sarah (Spears) Benge in Parsonsville, North Carolina where she was raised and educated. She married Lonnie Ashley on October 1, 1931 in Parsonsville where the couple made their home until moving to Benton City in 1957. Versie was a devoted wife to her husband of sixty-seven years and a devoted mother of ten children. Versie was baptized in the Baptist Church and later attended the Benton City Assembly of God. She enjoyed sewing, gardening, cooking, crocheting, knitting and playing bingo. She is survived by four daughters, Ruby Pearl Allen of Selah, Ivory Hawkins of Yakima, Alice Moncrief of West Richland and Mary Henderson of Yakima; four sons, Charles Ashley of Benton City, Reuben Ashley of West Richland, Allen Ashley of Yakima and Clyde Ashley of Benton City; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, Lonnie, in 1998; son, Floyd Grason Ashley; daughter, Hazel Marie Gonce; and brother, Reuben Russell Spears. Funeral services will be held at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 4th at Prosser Funeral Home. Visitation is scheduled for Wednesday from 4:00-7:00 p.m. at Prosser Funeral Home. Versie will be laid to rest next to her husband Lonnie at the Prosser Cemetery.