Ashley Mae Grier

Ashley Mae Grier

Anataakii ~ Pretty Woman

February 18, 1987 – September 1, 2023

It is with heavy hearts that we announce that our beloved Ashley was called home by the Creator at the age of 36, on Friday, September 1, 2023, at the Chinook Regional Hospital, in Lethbridge, AB.

Ashley was born on February 18, 1987, at the Fort Macleod Hospital, to Marcella Grier and the Late Leonard Little Bear. Ashley is a member of the Piikani Nation, belonging to the proud Grier and Bastien Families. For a large portion of her youth, she was raised on the Blood Reserve in the Farm Four area, alongside her brothers, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces, and numerous relatives of her Little Bear Family.

Through her paternal family the Little Bears, Ashley comes from a rich heritage that is deeply connected to the Traditional Blackfoot way of life. Her grandparents, Edward and Ruth held the Sacred Thunder Pipe Bundle, and she had numerous relatives who were and are currently members of the Sacred Societies of the Blackfoot Big Circle Camp "Akokatsin" (ah-go-got-sin). Ashley's brother, Bill, and his wife, Miracle, are a Sundance Man and Sundance Woman who have completed two Okan’s and held Ashley deep in prayers.

Ashley also comes from a rich heritage of western horsemanship and cattlemen from her maternal families the Griers and the Bastiens. Through her families, the Griers and the Little Bears, she inherited a deep connection to God not only through her Blackfoot Traditions but also through the Catholic faith, her grandfather Edward Little Bear was a Deacon to the Catholic Church and her aunt Beverly passed on to her a deep love for The Holy Rosaries. Ashley knew the Holy Rosaries by memory and would often recite them.

In her school days Ashely enjoyed drawing and playing basketball. She always had a love for music, and you can often hear her singing. Ashley was a beautiful woman, a carefree and wild spirit who lived a life without limits and had a soft and kind heart, she loved fiercely and cared deeply for her friends and family. With her, life was always an adventure. There are no words that can adequately express the depth of our sorrow, we will miss her dearly.

Ashley is survived by her daughter Tiara Grier, her mother Marcella (Daniel) Grier, her brothers; Bill (Miracle) Grier, Byron "Tibbs" (Trish) Little Bear, and Leonard "Lenny" (Lynda) Little Bear, nephews; Riley Healy, Nick Healy, Bill Grier II, Onessium Grier, Gabriel Grier, nieces; Mackenzie Little Bear, and Ava Grier-Smith, maternal aunt Lydia (Casey) Scott, paternal aunt Beverly Little Bear, and uncle Gary Little Bear, and cousin, Cody, Grier

Ashley is predeceased by her Father Leonard Little Bear, her paternal grandparents Edward Little Bear and Ruth Little Bear (Beebee), her paternal uncles; William, Gilbert, Morris and Patrick Little Bear, her maternal grandparents Ernie Grier and Bernadette Grier (Bastien), her maternal uncles Ernie Grier Jr., Levi Curtis, Norman and Lucky Grier, and her maternal aunts, Thelma “Tiny” Coon, Beverley Little Bear, and Ann Many Fingers, her uncle-in-laws Ken Coon, and Bobby Many Fingers, and nephew Sun-Child Grier.

The family apologizes for any names that have been missed.

A Two-day Wake Service was held at Eden’s Funeral Home from 6:00 PM until 11:00 PM, on Thursday, September 7, and Friday, September 8, 2023.

A Funeral Service was held at Eden’s Funeral Home, at 1:00 PM, on Saturday, September 9, 2023. Following the Funeral Service, Ashley was laid to rest at Sacred Heart Cemetery (Grotto), Piikani Nation.

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