World War II veteran Mary Elizabeth (Lewis) Ault passed away in Marietta, Georgia
formerly of Burr Oak and Sturgis, Michigan.
Mary Ault who served as a flight instructor at the Pensacola Florida Naval Air Station died peacefully in her sleep on December 28, 2016 at the age of 95.
She was born Mary Elizabeth Lewis in Detroit Michigan on August 22, 1921 but grew up in Jackson Michigan after her father got a job with Michigan Bell installing some of the very first phones in the state.
Mary and her twin brother graduated from Jackson High School with the Class of 1939. After graduation she worked for Michigan Bell Telephone and enrolled in classes at the University of Michigan. Mary joined the Navy with her brother Jim Lewis shortly after Pearl Harbor was bombed. Jim survived until age 94 after narrowly going down with his sub early in the war.
Mary was stationed in Pensacola, Fl. While there Mary was honored by the City of Pensacola as "Pensacola's WAVE of Michigan". Only one person from each state was so recognized.
In her assignment at the Naval base as Instrument Flight Instructor,
Mary had the famous baseball player,Ted Williams, as a student.S
he became friends with Williams and would talk to him when he played the Tigers in Detroit
.Mary married Navy Pilot, Captain Harry Ault in 1945 and later divorced. Mary then moved to Burr Oak, Michigan where she worked for the Kirsch Co. until she retired in 1983.
After retirement Mary returned to the classroom to become a licensed Emergency
Medical Technician (EMT)
. Much of her spare time was spent at Swiss Valley Ski Resort on the Ski Patrol, driving an ambulance, volunteering in the ER at Sturgis Hospital, and later was Chairman of the Sturgis Hospital Emergency Room Guild. In addition she was elected to serve on the Burr Oak Village Council and the Burr Oak School Board.
Mary enjoyed traveling. She particularly liked visiting her daughter Jackie and her family with they lived in Washington, DC during the USA Bicentennial. Jackie and her family later moved to Princeton, New Jersey, where she would visit and take the train into New York City to see the sites. She also traveled to Old Orchard Beach, Maine to visit Beth, her granddaughter and great-grandchildren.
When Jackie and her family moved to Georgia, she would visit and experience the Civil War history, see the Braves play baseball and enjoy the many activities in Atlanta .
She eventually moved to Georgia to spend her final years close to Jackie, her grandson Duffy and his son Holden. Mary was a lady with an incredible work ethic, a great sense of humor
and a strong,brave spirit. She was also a big supporter of the University of Michigan
football program.
Mary is survived by her daughter Jackie (Curt) Hoopingarner, grandchildren, Elizabeth (Charles) Walker, Duffy (Tracy) Hoopingarner, great-grandchildren, Chase Walker, Jack Walker and Holden Hoopingarner , a nephew and 5 nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents Albert (Jim) and Bernice Lewis and twin brother Jim Lewis.
No service is planned at this time. Her cremains will be interred at
Arlington National Cemetery. In Mary's honor, donations can be made to Talons Out
- Honor Flight, Inc PO Box 280, Portage MI, 49024.
"Don't let the flag touch the ground" as she would say.
Mary you are loved and will be missed.Her message to all of us; "Carry on."