GRANBURY — Mara Magdalene Ristic Hartley, 101, passed away Tuesday, June 23, 2015, in Glen Rose., Texas
Visitation: 7:30 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday, June 25, 2015, at Wiley Funeral Home in Granbury, Texas. Additional services will be held in Peoria, Ill. at a later date.
Memorials: In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to Happy Hill Farm, 3846 N. Highway 144, Granbury, Texas 76048.
Mara Magdalene Ristic was born on August 24, 1913, at home on 507 Blaine Street, Peoria, Illinois, to her parents Gavra Swetga Ristic and Elizabeth Johanna Angel Ristic. The family later moved to a house on Sheridan Road. Mara attended all undergraduate schools in Peoria and graduated from Peoria High School in 1932. Following graduation she worked as a secretary for several life insurance companies. Mara was married to George Cecil Hartley on August 10, 1938. The Hartley’s had 2 children, daughter, Sharon Joy Hartley born June 8, 1940, and son, Thomas Maxwell Hartley, born August 2, 1942. Sharon passed away January 22, 1944. The Hartley’s moved from Peoria, Illinois, to Fort Worth, Texas, in March 1947. On May 10, 1956, Mara became a life member of the Woman’s Society of Christian Service of The Methodist Church. In 1957, they moved to San Antonio, Texas. Mara was a house wife for many years but went back to work in 196-, again as a secretary, for the Southwest Conference of the United Methodist Church of the Covenant, Arlington, Texas. She was most recently a member of Trinity United Methodist Church, Arlington, Texas, where she was the pianist for her Sunday School Class. Mara sang in the church choir for many years and she played the mandolin as well as the piano and organ. George passed away March 3, 1996. Mara lived at the Arlington Plaza, Arlington, Texas, from 1996 until 2009 when she moved to the Glen Rose Nursing Home and Rehab Center, Glen Rose, Texas, where she celebrated her 100th birthday on August 24, 2013. She was preceded in death by her daughter-in-law, Micki J. Burleson.
Survivors: Son, Tom Hartley and daughter-in-law, Micki, live in Pecan Plantation; granddaughter, Laurie Lynn Nowak and husband, Greg, from Aledo; great grandchildren, Megan Elizabeth Gauwain, Randy Merl “Trey” Gauwain.
