Joseph William "Bill" Ashby

November 28, 1917 - October 17, 2016

Joseph William (Bill) Ashby passed away Monday, October 17, 2016 at home near Medford, Ore. He was born November 28, 1917 in Saginaw, Minn. to William Ashby and Lily Marie (Cochran) Ashby, their second child.

Bill's father was a logger and sawmill operator in Minnesota, and Bill grew up learning to log, train horses, garden, hunt, fish, and cook. He was an avid learner and reader despite a lack of high schools nearby, and the Great Depression. Bill worked many jobs during the Depression, building roads in New Mexico, training and herding horses in Texas, and eventually going to Montana to work with sheep herders and horse traders. It was in Montana that he met his future wife, Mona Malinda (Linda) Tank.

Just before World War II, Bill again joined his father in Carlton, Ore., logging and fulfilling milling contracts. He brought Linda to Carlton where they were married December 25, 1942 at his parents' home. The next year they moved to Wolf Creek to continue working with timber, building a home from lumber supplies recycled from two Camp White buildings, and raising a family of five children. They eventually moved to Brookings, Ore. and then to Medford, Ore., where Bill transitioned to positions of millwright and machinist in local mills. After retiring in the 1980s, Bill and Linda went on their dream trip pulling a trailer, visiting family through the United States and seeing sights they had read about, including the village of Ashby, Mass.; Washington D.C.; and the Kennedy Space Center.

Retiring to Brookings, Bill enjoyed fishing, gardening, sharing his bounty with neighbors and family, and taking his grandchildren to the beach to explore the tide pools. Nothing in life brought more joy to him than quietly taking in the sights and sounds of generations gathered together for any occasion. Vacations were opportunities for visiting relatives and touring a nearby National or State Park. He is remembered for quietly observing the children and grandchildren, answering questions, reminiscing with stories of long ago, helping in any way he could, and especially his smile and the twinkle in his eyes.

Bill is survived by his children: daughters, Barbara (Joe) Brenhaug of Medford, Ore; Beverly (Bob) Petkevis of Fairbanks, AK; Karen (Ed) Redfield of Medford, Ore.; and sons, Art Ashby of Tigard, Ore. and Mike Ashby of Ruch, Ore.; 10 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Linda (2010); and siblings, Art Howes, Eugene (Gene) C. Howes (1987), Jimmy Howes, Ed Howes, Lily Rake (1993), Grace Cohen Hunsaker, John Ashby (1941), Harrold Ashby (2015), and Olive Samuelson (1953). He will be missed by many.

Bill will be honored by family and friends at a graveside service that will be held at 2:00 p.m. Monday, October 24, 2016 at Memory Gardens Mortuary and Memorial Park, Medford, Ore. with Rev. Andrew Pursley of Forks, Wash. officiating. There will be a reception at 3:30 p.m. at Bethel Church at Vista Pointe, Medford, Ore. following the service.

Memorial contributions may be made to Shriners Hospital for Children, P.O Box 1525, Ranson, W.Va. 25438.