June 7, 1931 - October 4, 2020
Laid to Rest at Riverside National Cemetery on October 20, 2020 at 10:30 a.m.
William (“Bill”) Ashton was born at the White Memorial Hospital in Los Angeles, Ca. on June 7,
1931 to the proud parents of Stanley and Josephine Ashton.
Bill grew up in the San Gabriel Valley and graduated from Alhambra High School, later
attending Pasadena City College where he studied to become an X-Ray Technician. He then
entered the Army, serving stateside during the Korean Conflict as an X-Ray Technician from
1952-1954. After returning home from Texas he worked for a brief time with his father at the
Alhambra Steel Foundry as a salesman.
Bill’s entrepreneurial spirit kicked in at an early age when he started a small chain of Coin
Operated Laundromats in the LA area. Bill then turned his interest into Mobile Home
Manufacturing and Sales, becoming the largest Mobile Home dealer in the Western United
States. Before retiring at the age of 58 he returned to his roots in the Coin Operated
Laundromat business as a Sales Broker.
Bill served on the Board of Directors of the Trailer Coach Association (TCA), and the Mobile
Home Association, where he met Sally Jo at a sales convention in Anaheim. After a short
courtship they married in 1972 and relocated from Fountain Valley, Ca. to Riverside, Ca.
In their active retirement years Bill and Sally Jo lived in Crestline, Ca. for 20 years where
they enjoyed a great view of Lake Gregory and participated in community events. During
this time they also loved taking trips and visiting with friends and family.
Bill passed away on October 4th, 2020 at the age of 89 in his home in Upland,Ca. surrounded
by his beloved wife of over 48 years, Sally Jo and their children. Bill accepted the Lord as his
Savior at an early age and was a practicing Seventh Day Adventist devoted to his faith.
Bill is survived by his wife Sally Jo and their six children: Lauree and husband Steve, Jenny,
Joel, Scott, Julie and husband Craig, Lynnea and husband Brent. Grandchildren: Brandie,
Spencer, Gwyneth, and Analise. Great grandchildren: Gavin, Jaxen, and Kinsleigh.
Bill was preceded in death by his sister Helen and his granddaughter Rochelle.
Celebration of Life luncheon will be held at 1pm on 10-20-2020 at the Magic Lamp Inn in
Rancho Cucamonga, Ca.
