George Edward Ashley

A decorated World War II veteran, Mr. Ashley served as 4th Infantry division platoon leader in the United States Army. His platoon landed on Utah Beach shortly after D-Day, and he was seriously wounded shortly thereafter during the Allies’ drive to take Cherbourg.

Mr. Ashley had a distinguished career in the former AT&T System. He rose from an attorney with Southwestern Bell Telephone Company to general counsel at AT&T Long Lines, executive vice president and general counsel for New York Telephone Company, and corporate vice president and associate general counsel for AT&T. In those roles, Mr. Ashley addressed a variety of legal challenges.

Early on, he helped negotiate international right-of-way agreements for transatlantic subsea cables, and to establish the legal framework for Telstar, the world’s first active communication satellite. In the 1970s, he acted as company counsel in the EEOC’s landmark Title VII case. As part of the negotiated settlement, AT&T, then the nation’s largest employer, established a comprehensive affirmative action program for women. He also argued a case for New York Telephone Company before the United States Supreme Court. The decision established a significant criminal procedure precedent. Finally, he had lead responsibility for reorganization and distribution of the entire in-house legal staff during the divestiture of the “Baby Bells” from the AT&T system.

While at AT&T, Mr. Ashley also served on the board of directors of United Energy Resources, Inc. After retirement from AT&T in 1984, he worked on the New York Fund for Modern Courts, and served as a director of the New York City Bar Association.

He and his wife, Elizabeth Cottingham, were married for 51 years. They lived in Larchmont, New York for 30 years, where they raised their four children: Luke, Ruth, Anne and Ernest. In 1988, the couple moved to Columbia, Missouri where he taught as an adjunct law professor with the Missouri School of Law until 1994.

He received numerous awards and honors. He was a member of the American Law Institute. In 1988, the Missouri School of Law awarded him an honorary doctor of laws degree “in recognition of his navigation of ‘uncharted legal waters’ with regard to overseas long-distance telephone services and other worldwide communications systems.” Other awards and honors reflected his lifelong dedication to community service. They include the Silver Beaver Award, a council-level distinguished service award from the Westchester Putnam Council of the Boy Scouts of America; the Tom Botts award from the Rotary Club of Columbia, Missouri. He also was a member of the Century Association of New York City.

After moving to Dallas in 2005, he volunteered at the Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and drove Meals on Wheels for the VNA of Dallas until he was 96.

Mr. Ashley is survived by his sons Luke Ashley (Mary Jo) of Dallas, TX and Ernest Ashley (Linda) of Wenham, MA.; daughters: Ruth Ashley Lewing (Paul) of Shoreline, WA., and Anne Ashley Quinn (Charles) of Atascadero, CA.; his four grandchildren: Britt Ashley (Bess) of Portland, OR., Mary Lauren Eubank (Brett) of Jacksonville, FL., Allison Ashley of Somerville, MA., and Kristen Ashley of Salt Lake City UT.; and two great-granddaughters: Anna Claire Eubank and Kate Eubank of Jacksonville, FL.; also nephews Richard Ashley, Robert Ashley (Suzanne) and Max L. Graham, Jr. (Sharen) and John Walter Graham (Cynthia).

A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm, May 4, 2017 at First United Methodist Church, Dallas, TX. There will be a graveside service in Bloomfield, MO. on May 6, 2017. Donations in his memory may be made to Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Dallas, TX. or VNA of Dallas.