IN MEMORIAM

EXPANDED EULOGIES

Betty Ash

Betty Ash (Grace Elizabeth Bagby Ash) was born Feb. 4, 1922, in Aurora Missouri, to Grace and John Roscoe Bagby. She died peacefully Saturday at Newton Medical Center, Newton.

There will be a small graveside service and internment Friday at Sedgwick Cemetery, with Pastor Jeff Lee from Aulne Methodist Church presiding – and a happy Celebration of Life this summer post-COVID restrictions.

Raised in Aurora, she attended what is now Missouri State University in Springfield, and moved to Washington, D.C. in 1943 to work for the GPO. There she met Andrew D. Ash (known as Don Ash), who had returned from service in World War II.

They married in February 1946 and set up housekeeping in a small walk-up apartment in Don’s hometown of Queens, New York.

Over the next 30 years, they raised their four children in Valley Stream, New York. They retired to Hillsboro, Ohio, and then spent 18 years as ‘snowbirds’ to south Texas and traveling in the spring and summer around the rest of the U.S.

Her loving husband, Don died in 2005, and she moved to Marion County Lake to be closer to her children.

She is survived and greatly loved by her younger brother, Rick Bagby, of Branson, Missouri; her four children, Andy Ash (and his wife, Janice) of Marion, Alan Ash (and his wife, Gloria) of Marion, and Grand Rivers, Kentucky; Kathi Beeton (and her husband, Ron) of Marion, and David Ash (and his wife, Pat) of Cincinnati, Ohio. Her memory also will be cherished by her many grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren scattered around the U.S.

She enjoyed her deck at the lake and ‘happy hour’ every afternoon with children and neighbors. She had an empty corn cob pipe on her shelf that she planned to smoke on her 100th birthday and seriously looked forward to that day. Unfortunately, her physical body just did not cooperate.

Her family has asked that memorials be sent to Marion Assisted Living.