Ward M. Ashley

Reverend Ward M. Ashley, age 90 of New Market, TN accepted his call to glory on Saturday, September 19, 2015 in the presence of his loving wife of 61 years, Ruby Kivett Ashley of New Market, his daughters, and two of his beloved grandchildren after a sudden illness. The Reverend Ashley was blessed with three beautiful daughters and their husbands, Jan and Armando Yanes of Atlanta, GA., Ann and Jim Gust of Salt Lake City, UT., and Lynn and Daniel Killins of Knoxville, and four treasured grandchildren, Tyler (and Jasmine) Gust of Salt Lake City, Ericha Richards of Los Angeles, and Caroline and Collin Killins of Knoxville. The Reverend Ashley rose up from the poorest of childhood circumstances in Alabama to attain the most blessed of all positions: loving husband, cherished father, adored grandfather, respected farmer, kind neighbor, and lifelong follower of Jesus of Nazareth. The Reverend Ashley honorably served in the U.S. Navy in WWII in the Pacific, surviving a kamikaze strike off Okinawa in 1945. Upon returning from the war, he graduated from Carson Newman college, went on to attend the New Orleans Theological Seminary with his wife, Ruby, and ultimately entered the ministry. Ward was honored to serve at churches in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee, and then, armed with two more advance degrees, went on to serve as an educator in the public school system. Ward’s most prominent traits were his unfailing positivity, his love for his community, and his devotion to his family and his God. He was gifted with the talent of yearly producing fruitful crops, delicate flowers, and healthy animals. He was a man both rooted in the soil of his beloved Tennessee and the loving heavens above. He is survived by his wife, three daughters, four grandchildren, three sons-in-laws, and his older sister Grace Glaze of Cullman, Alabama. Join us at Farrar Funeral Home, Jefferson City, as we celebrate his fruitful time as a good and faithful servant of the Gospel. Funeral service will be held at 7:00 p.m. Friday evening, September 25, 2015 with Rev. Danny Georges officiating. The family will receive friends from 5:00 until 7:00 p.m. prior to the service. Family and friends will gather at 10:00 a.m. Saturday morning at Farrar Funeral Home to proceed to New Market Cemetery for an 11:00 a.m. graveside interment service. Memorial donations can be made in Ward’s name to The Daily Bread, 118 S Cumberland St., Morristown, Tennessee, 37814, in care of Hobe Williams.