She was born in Twin Twp.; the daughter of Leo and Abigail "Abbie" (Penrod) Schlotterback.

She was a member of the graduating Class of 1913, Lewisburg High School.

She was united in marriage to Ralph Leroy Bierly on January 22, 1915, in Eaton, Preble County, Ohio. To this union, three known children were born: Ralph Leroy Bierly, Jr., Hazel Jean Bierly, and James Donald Bierly.

Following the death of her husband, Ralph, she received a degree from Miami U. in 1925 in Elementary Education. She was first an Elementary School teacher, started the first kindergarten, and then a Principal at the Lewisburg schools.

She later received a degree from United Theological Seminary in 1940, and began teaching at the Red Bird Mission School in Kentucky. (This school now operates under the auspices of the United Methodist Church and is located in southeastern Kentucky primarily in the counties of: Bell, Clay, Leslie, Harlan, Owsley, and Perry. It got its name from Chief Red Bird of the Cherokee Indian Tribe, and was started circa 1913 by women of the Evangelical Church.)

She loved the outdoors, and was an accomplished "spinner" and "weaver". She is also mentioned in the book "Forty Acres and No Mule", written by Janice Holt Giles.

She died at her residence, and was interned on November 9, 1985.
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Dayton Journal Herald, 11/08/1985, p. 09 - Mary Bierly

Mrs. Mary L. Bierly, 90, 15 Springway Drive, Dayton, died unexpectedly Nov. 6 at her home.

A native of Preble County, she had lived in Lewisburg most of her life, removing to Dayton in 1971. She was a retired teacher and had taught from 1925-64 in the Lewisburg schools. In 1940, she did home mission work in Kentucky for the United Brethren Church.

She was a member of Memorial United Methodist Church in Lewisburg and the Preble County Historical Society. Her husband Ralph, died in 1924, and a son, James, died in 1921.

Survivors include one son, R. Leroy Bierly of Greenville; one daughter, Jean Gildow of Dayton; one foster daughter, Miriam Slockslager Hedges of Lima; 14 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

Funeral services were Nov. 9 at Barnes Funeral Home, Lewisburg Chapel, with the Rev. John Harea officiating. Burial was in Roselawn Cemetery.