Ashley Melynn Gilden (nee Davidson), (40) of Springfield, Missouri passed on August 18th from Neuroendocrine Cancer of the pancreas.

Ashley grew up in Willard, MO where she spent most of her time playing in the creek, searching for interesting rocks, and riding bikes with friends. She attended Willard High School and graduated in 2004. After high school she attended OTC and MSU, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Wildlife Conservation and Management from the Darr School of Agriculture. Ashley knew a great number of scientific names of trees, plants, and animals.

Ashley met her husband Joseph Ryan Gilden in 2008. They were longtime friends before beginning to date in 2013. They shared a love of the St. Louis Cardinals, collecting vinyl records, craft beer, and traveling to new places. Together they had one child, Evelyn (Eva) Rose Gilden, who was Ashley’s biggest source of joy and pride. Ashley and Joe were married on March 30, 2019 at Heritage Chapel in Willard, Missouri. They honeymooned in New Orleans, Louisiana where they attended Jazzfest and explored the city.

The three of them lived in a house in the Rountree Neighborhood of Springfield, Missouri. Ashley worked for most of her life in the food service industry, but found her real passion working as a paraprofessional and building substitute at Rountree Elementary School. Ashley loved all the children and staff of Rountree and one day hoped to be a librarian there, a goal she never got to meet.

A life-long reader, Ashley loved fantasy, travel, counterculture, and mountaineering books; but her favorite was horror. From a young age she loved reading ghost stories and creepy thrillers by R.L. Stine and Anne Rice. As an adult, Ashley was a constant reader of Stephen King and loved to collect his books in hardback.

Ashley enjoyed trivia and games that tested her knowledge. She hosted Pop Culture Pub Quiz for two years with her husband, Joe, and her best-friend, Marlena Shipman at Patton Alley Pub in downtown Springfield. Along with hosting trivia, Ashley liked to go to trivia nights and watched Jeopardy almost every evening.

Ashley loved to travel. Her, Joe, and Eva regularly took trips to St. Louis, and traveled to Oregon, Las Vegas, New Orleans, and DisneyWorld. Ashley’s favorite of their trips was to England and Scotland where she fell in love with the Isle of Skye.

Ashley is survived by her husband, Joseph Gilden, her daughter Evelyn Gilden, her sister Tanya Marion and brother-in-law John Marion, her brother John M. Davidson and sister-in-law Diana Johnson, her best friend Marlena Shipman; her nephews Ethan Davidson and his wife Sophie Davidson, Logan Davidson, and Owen Davidson; her nieces, Morgan Malpede and her husband Trevor Malpede, and Lauren Lander and her son Hampton Lander.

Ashley is preceded in death by her parents John R. Davidson and Laura R. Coffman (East), and her grandparents June S. Eva, David J. Davidson, Grace E. East, and Elmer E. East.

A graveside service will be held at White Chapel Memorial Gardens on Friday August 28th at 9:00 AM. Friends and family are welcome to recount stories and memories of her life. A wake will be held at The Flea on Friday August 21st at 6:00.

Written by the decedent.