Walter Bernard ASHBY

Male 1911 - 2003  (91 years)


Personal Information    |    Media    |    Notes    |    Sources    |    All    |    PDF

  • Name Walter Bernard ASHBY  [1
    Born 1 Mar 1911  Burdett, Washington, Colorado, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [2
    Gender Male 
    Census Apr 1930  Sterling, Logan, Colorado, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Census 1940  Sterling, Logan, Colorado, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Residence 1971  Longmont, Boulder, Colorado, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Died 18 Jan 2003  Lake Havasu City, Mohave, Arizona, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [3
    Cremated 19 Jan 2003 
    Obituary 20 Jan 2003  Lake Havasu City, Mohave, Arizona, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Person ID I5135  An Armstrong & A Heffernan
    Last Modified 22 Jul 2016 

    Father Walter ASHBY,   b. 25 Oct 1874, , Tama, Iowa, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 10 Sep 1953, Sterling, Logan, Colorado, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 78 years) 
    Mother Florence Olive DEE,   b. 2 May 1891, Guthrie Center, Guthrie, Iowa, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 28 May 1971, Sterling, Logan, Colorado, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 80 years) 
    Alt. Marriage 6 Dec 1906  Sioux City, Woodbury, Iowa, USA Find all individuals with events at this location 
    Married 20 Dec 1906  Sioux City, Woodbury, Iowa, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [4, 5
    Family ID F1151  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

    Family Dorothy Elizabeth BARNHART,   b. 3 Dec 1911, Marceline, Linn, Missouri, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. 2 Sep 1986, , Boulder, Colorado, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  (Age 74 years) 
    Married 3 Jul 1931  Wray, Yuma, Colorado, USA Find all individuals with events at this location  [6
    Children 
     1. Living
     2. Living
     3. Sharon Rae ASHBY,   b. Abt 1940, , , Colorado, USA Find all individuals with events at this location,   d. Yes, date unknown
    Last Modified 22 Jul 2016 
    Family ID F2189  Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  • Photos
    Ashby, Harold, James and Walter
    Ashby, Harold, James and Walter

  • Notes 
    • A Story about My great-great grandfather:
      Walter was known for many years as Bernard. His mother (Olive) and her sister (Ida) both gave birth within two days of each other. They decided to call them by their middle names because they were "so close to being twins"; Walter "Bernard" Ashby, born 1 Mar 1911, and Grace "Bernice" Lukehart, born 3 Mar 1911. Walt was named after his father, but he was never known as Jr. If the term "quality" is ever used to describe a man, it is truly appropriate for Walt Ashby. As with any man, the trials of life are difficult, but great strength of character, sense of humor, determination (maybe a bit of stubborness), morality, and truth were the guidelines of his life. His gentleness is demonstrated with his love for children and animals, as well as a giving nature. Responsible is a term that under estimates his passionate resolve for honesty and loyalty. He is of the "old school" where his word is law and he would never break a trust. Firm when he has to be, gentle when need be, and always a sense of humor (perhaps evolved from his rich Irish/Scottish heritage). He loves to surprise with a kindly gesture, and a twinkle in his eye (yes, truly a twinkle). I will never forget the time I was a struggling single parent and my car did not pass inspection, the cause being worn tires. My father insisted I drive his car to work the next day because my tires were unsafe. When I arrived home my father was standing in the driveway watching for me with that familiar grin and eyes twinkling. There was my car with four new tires--it passed inspection! When children, we often had a friend over for dinner. We would always seat her next to Dad because we knew he teased whoever sat by him; we giggled our heads off throughout the meal. Too few examples of the many, many kindnesses and heart-warming remembrances of this man, my Dad. Walter and Olive Ashby--One of the events oldest son Jim likes to recall about his dad, Walter Ashby, is the day he came home with his first car. "I don't think Dad had ever driven a car before," Jim said. "We were all out in the pasture (at the homestead near Burdett) watching for him to come from Yuma with the Model T. When we saw him coming across the prairie, he was sitting very straight and very proud. But by the time he came to the gate near our house, he was hollering "Whoa, Whoa," and the Model T tore right through the wire fence." It was one of many fun times for the family after they arrived in Colorado in 1908. Walter Ashby was born Oct. 25, 1874, at Sloan, Iowa, the son of William and Eliza Farley Ashby. Florence Olive Dee was born May 2, 1891, in Guthrie Center, Iowa, the daughter of James and Nancy Emeline McGhee Dee. Walter and Olive were married Dec. 20, 1906 [sic], in Sioux City, Iowa, and came to the Burdett community two years later. They moved to Sterling in 1917 where Walt was employed by Great Western Sugar Co. He retired from the sugar company in 1940. Walt died Sept. 10, 1953, and Mrs. Ashby passed away May 28, 1971. Their children were sons James, Harold, Walter Bernard and Elton and daughters Erma Curtis and Leona Reese. Two children died in infancy. (This obit and death record lists place of birth as Sloan, Iowa; however, a copy of Walter's birth record lists Tama, Iowa, as place of birth. This coincides with census dates and birth place of siblings and parents) WALT ASHBY HOMESTEAD PATENT: SW Section 19, Township 5 N, Range 49W. Serial No. 0 7507 Excerpt from WASHINGTON COUNTY COLORADO BOOK 1989--by Arlene Glenn:
      "West 28 or Pleasant View School was begun in 1909. They first had school in the Jim Williams homestead shack, a two-room sod house, located on the southeast quarter of Section 19. Then Walt Ashby donated the northwest corner of land in Section 19. The school was built there about 1910. The school burned down in 1916 and a new one was erected in 1917. Both East 28 and West 28 schools were closed in 1922 when patrons voted to unite and form one school on the present Lone Star School grounds." Letter from Betty Jones Snow (MY GRANDMOTHER) dated 7 May 2001. Betty was raised by Walter and "Ollie" ". . . after Daddy & Mom (Walt and Olive) were married.

  • Sources 
    1. [S566] Thompson, L Elaine Ashby, Bernard Ashby.

    2. [S528] SSDI, (FamilySearch.org), Ashby, W B.
      1 Mar 1911

    3. [S528] SSDI, (FamilySearch.org), Ashby, W B.
      18 Jan 2003, last residence, Mohave, Arizona

    4. [S1357] 1910 Washington CO, ED 260, pg 10A.
      married 3 years.

    5. [S1361] Iowa County Marriages, 1838-1934, (FamilySearch.org), Ashby, Walter.
      to Florence O Dee, 20 Dec 1907, Woodbury, Ioway

    6. [S1359] Colorado Statewide Marriage Index, 1853-2006, (FamilySearch.org), Ashby, Walter B.
      to Dorothy Burnhart, 3 July 1931, Wray, Yuma, Colorado


Home Page |  What's New |  Most Wanted |  Surnames |  Photos |  Histories |  Documents |  Cemeteries |  Places |  Dates |  Reports |  Sources