Ashley Nichole Stempien, the U.S. Postmaster of Jackson, tragically passed away on June 8 following a fall while hiking in Illinois.
The 37-year-old, a lifelong resident of Mount Vernon and granddaughter of former Mount Vernon Mayor Stanley Bernard, fell approximately 55 feet at Giant City State Park in Jackson County, Illinois. Emergency responders were alerted by a 911 call placed by Stempien’s friend, Carlos Riddle, 31, of Daphne, at 11:06 a.m. on the day of the accident. The call reported the incident near the Devil’s Standtable Trail within the park.
First responders discovered Stempien with severe injuries. Despite efforts to save her, she died en route to a hospital in the St. Louis area while being airlifted by helicopter.
Stempien had served with the U.S. Postal Service for 10 years and held the position of postmaster in Jackson at the time of her passing.
She was laid to rest on June 15 at Mount Vernon United Methodist Church. Stempien is survived by her parents, Mona and Dave Stempien, and her grandmother, Eugenia Stempien.
The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, in collaboration with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, is conducting an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the accident.
