Ashley R. Abel

Ashley Rochelle Abel, 19, of La Junta, passed away on January 15, 2014. She was born on Nov. 11, 1994, in La Junta to Jody Kay Bracy & Timothy Dean Abel.


Ashley graduated from Cheraw High School in 2013. She obtained her Certified Nursing Assistant certification while she was a junior in high school. During her senior year she was taking pre-requisite courses for the nursing program at Otero Junior College and was currently working at the Fowler Healthcare Center. Ashley was active with the Patriot Riders and known as "Cotton Tail". She was very outgoing, witty and sarcastic; she loved her family and friends and will be greatly missed.


Ashley worked diligently to finish a years’ worth of Spanish credit in one semester. She was also a teacher aid for various elementary and middle school students. She loved helping students and math was her strong suit. Students loved going to Ashley for help with any course subject. Ashley held the same high expectation of all her students just as the regular classroom teacher held. Ashley did complete her CNA training during her junior year of high school and completed a work study her senior year that allowed her to use part of her school day to work at the nursing home in Fowler and put her CNA skills to use. She graduated from Cheraw High School with over 30 college credits from OJC preparing her for the nursing program. Ashley was working on her nursing prerequisites with OJC.


Ashley is survived by her mother, Jody Bracy of La Junta; sister, Heather Abel of Colby, KS; grandmother, Marilyn (Gary) Bracy of La Junta; great aunt, Cathy Brittain of Canon City, CO; great uncle, Tom (Darlene) Coffield of Cheraw; great aunt, Jody (Butch) Reed of Greenville, VA; cousins, Joe (Sherry) Gillespie of Carlin, NV; Ric Gillespie of Carlin, NV; Boyd Canterberry of Canon City; Rod Canterberry of Canon City; Thomas (Regina) Coffield of Boone; Sandy (Forrest) Sandburg of Jackson, WY; Tammy (Jim) Collins of Cheraw; Jim (Sherrl) Reed of Greenville, VA; Mark (Irene) Coffield of Yuma, CO; father, Tim Abel of Garden City, KS; grandparents, Bill (Ruth) Abel of La Junta; uncle, Bill Abel of La Junta; aunt, Sharon Abel of Las Vegas, NV; aunt, Dawn Harris of Pueblo; cousins, Nikki (RJ) Harper, Rachael and Andrew, Jennifer (Clint) Hemphill, Hayden, Devin (Jarod) Brown, Crissy and Landon, Sarah (RJ) Willman, Genesis, Jathan, Eli, and Anna Lee, Tiffany (Chuck) Butler, D.J. Harris, great uncles, Larry Paxton, Larry D. (Judy) Paxton, Dawson and Matthew, great aunt, Marylin (Ralph) Anderson, Aimee (Adam) Wutka, Nathan, Ben, Isaac, Robert Anderson; and many friends also survive.


In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made to a scholarship fund in Ashley's name at the Colorado East Bank and Trust.


Peacock-Larsen Funeral Home and Arkansas Valley Crematory is in charge of arrangements.


Funeral service will be Wednesday, January 22, 2014, at 2:00 p.m. at Peacock Memorial Chapel with Reverend Ron Skorick officiating. Interment will follow at Fairview Cemetery.