Ashlyn Dove Whitley, 53, of Ocean Isle Beach, NC died at 4: 18 am September 9th our Heavenly Father picked a very Special Flower to take to heaven to seed his heavenly garden with more beauty and love. The King of Kings brought precious Ashlyn Dove Whitley into this earthly world on September 28 at 3 a.m. in 1967 and loaned her to her father and mother until it was time to take her back home on September 9, 2021. Ashlyn Whitley was 54 years young and passed away from severe complications of Cardiothoracic Pulmonary arrest, pneumonia and acute respiratory failure caused by COVID. The Brunswick County Novant ICU unit nurses and Doctors worked night and day trying to save Ashlyn’s life every minute she was in their Intensive Critical Care. Ashlyn was courageous & fought a good fight, but Our Lord and Savior knew she was tired and weak, and He wanted her to rest and be out of pain. He brought her toward the Divine white light of Christ & into His healing loving arms in heaven where she now resides full time with her Lord and Savior, and her brother, George Whitley, her father, Jerry Whitley and her beloved Grandmother Dolly Sherman. Ashlyn was a very talented young lady with a true love for her horse “Honey”. Throughout her junior and high school days in Charlotte and Wrightsville Beach she and Honey won over 300 awards and ribbons in jumping and Dressage. After High School she attended and graduated from Meredith Manor International Equestrian College, in Waverly West Va. With a Riding master’s degree in English Equitation, Dressage, Western Facility Maintenance and designing and Building jumps & structure for the barns. She graduated with a Certified Riding Instructor Degree and Riding Master VI (highest level) Degree with honors. After graduation she moved to Middleburg, Va. and worked on a large prestigious Equestrian Farm. She was hired by a Doctor in New York to train young jumpers for his family, and while doing this she had a bad fall; shattered many bones in her wrist, went thru surgery and her riding career ended because of the injuries sustained. She moved to Concord, NC where she worked part time as a legal assistant in her Father’s Law office, while also attending Central Piedmont Community College and Rowan Cabarrus Community College taking computer technology and IT classes to further her education. After her father passed away Ashlyn sold her Concord home and moved to Ocean Isle Beach to live with her mother, Martha Lee, in Brick Landing Plantation in November 2012. Ashlyn worked part time as a Residential Long-Term Rental Property Assistant, and Residential Real Estate Clerical Broker’s assistant for Martha Lee Realty Co., while attending Brunswick Community College Certified Nursing Assistant Program. She graduated with a CNA degree in May 2017.

Ashlyn was in a big 3-car accident in 2018, which resulted in a serious neck surgery and 2 knee surgeries, which caused her to give up her work as a CNA. She had resumed her position with Martha Lee Realty as a valued part-time clerical admin when she contracted Covid August 21^st.

Beauty starts in the heart of a woman who knows how truly special she is. It radiates from the smile she shares with people in her life, and it shines in the way she makes the world a lovelier place to be. Ashlyn was a woman, daughter, niece, cousin and friend who was beautiful from the inside out. Her mother’s heart is crushed and shattered in a million pieces, and says their home now is only an empty house. Love is all that matters in our life and the one thing we have no control over. Ashlyn was the definition of unselfish love. She gave freely, sweetly, and sincerely. Her mother will miss her forever and ever.

Ashlyn leaves behind her mother, Martha Lee, (Ocean Isle Beach, NC), her Uncle and Aunt, Kent and Dianna Lee (Leland,NC), her Aunt Nancy Collins Cox (Charlotte, NC), Her cousins: Lauren Lee Mitchell (Josh) Winnabow, NC, Libby Lee, (Fairview NC), Kate Richards, (Ocean Isle Beach, NC), Bethany & Kevon Farabee (Greensboro, NC), Allen & Ann Lee, (Raleigh, NC), Maggie Lee (Greensboro, NC), Jack and Ben Lee (Raleigh, NC), Jennifer and Mike Cordes,(Baltimore), Kent Lee Jr. (Wilmington NC)

Tyler Lee (Greensboro, NC), Hannah Lee (Raleigh NC) Gracie Farabee (Greensboro NC) , Gavin and Lindsey Brewer (Greensboro), Carolyn Lee, (Greensboro, NC) ,Ted & Bob O’Quinn (Wrightsville Beach, NC), Penelope Lee (Raleigh, NC), Travis Lee (Charlotte, NC), Daniel Lee (Raleigh NC), Spencer Lee (Boone NC), and Angela Lessor (Glen Allen, Va.).

She leaves behind many dear friends Joey and Debbie Shanahan (Ocean Isle Beach), Maxine White (Asheboro, NC), Suzanne and Beth McArthur (Piedmont, SC), John and Teri Gainey (Sunset Beach), Maria and Augustine Tapia (Shallotte, NC), Wylie and Susan Ballard (Ocean Isle Beach), Barbara Andrews (Holden Beach, NC), Maria Erwin Balsley (Calabash, NC), Janet Hall (Myrtle Beach SC), Robin Tice Haines (Holden Beach), Wanda Duncan (Shallotte, NC), Julie Farris (Ocean Isle Beach, NC) and Ashlyn’s precious kitties Daisy and Mattie.

Her mother wants to thank all the ICU Nurses, Doctors, and Respiratory Therapist that administered to and tried to save Ashlyn’s life and thank you for your kindness shown to her mother. Thank you to all of Ashlyn’s prayer Warriors during this very difficult time.

A Memorial Service to celebrate the sweet life of Ashlyn Dove Whitley will be held at Brunswick Funeral Service, 5229 Ocean Highway (Highway 17 South) Shallotte, NC 28470, on Saturday, Sept 25 ,2021 at 11 a.m. Her family will receive friends from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.   Memorial Service to immediately follow. Family requests all guests wear a face mask at service. Fellowship with family and close friends follows at residence 1642 Tidewater Court S.W. Ocean Isle Beach, NC 28469 (Brick Landing Plantation)

A BCC Educational Foundation has been set up in the name of “The Ashlyn and George Whitley Foundation”, for memorial donations to be made into this Foundation to help anybody, any age, any color who wants to become a Certified Nursing Assistant but does not have the financial funds or means to do so. You can mail your donation to: “The Whitley Foundation”, Brunswick Community College , P.O. Box 30, Supply NC 28462

Online condolences may be made at www.brunswickfuneralservice.com

Brunswick Funeral Service, Shallotte