ASHELFORD, Marta Sylvia

Mohave Daily News, Mohave Valley, AZ - Published in Mohave Daily News Online from February 16 to February 23, 2012 - Marta Sylvia (Velasquez) Ashelford, age 76, a 5-year resident of Bullhead City, Ariz., passed away after a battle with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, Saturday, February 4, 2012, at College Park Rehabilitation Center in Las Vegas, Nev. She was born Marta Sylvia Velasquez in Guatemala City, Guatemala in 1935, and came to the United States on a visa at the age of 20, and ultimately became a naturalized U.S. citizen. During her marriage to Merlyn Lee Ashelford she adopted two sons, Luis Ashelford, 50, of Redondo Beach, Calif. and Paul Ashelford, 46, of Kingman, Ariz. Marta's professional career included 30 years at Xerox Corporation in El Segundo, Calif., where she attained the position of executive secretary in the company's Printing Systems Division. In 2007, after retiring, Marta moved to Bullhead City to be near her sister, Carmen. The two sisters served as volunteers at the Bullhead City Police Department. Marta loved her work at the Police Department and in 2011, she attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander of the Police Auxiliary. She is survived by two sons, Luis and Paul; grandson, Brian Ashelford, 21; four of her siblings, Carmen Puckett of Bullhead City, Maria Soledad Velasquez, Ana Maria Velasquez, and Carlos Enrique Velasquez Tróccoli of Guatemala City, Guatemala; and 14 nieces and nephews living in the United States and Guatemala. Marta was remembered at a memorial mass held February 10, 2012, at St. Mary Margaret's Catholic Church in Bullhead City. The service was attended by many members of the Bullhead City Police Department, who also provided an Honor Guard throughout the service.