Ronald Frederick Ashley

Ashley, Ronald Frederick – Halifax. After a brief illness Ron passed away peacefully on March 11, 2019, with his daughter Paula and son Kevin by his side. Born in Halifax on December 8, 1938, he was the son of the late Stanley Frederick Ashley and Ruth Mable (Romans) Ashley. Ron was deeply committed to his family. He instilled upon them a strong work ethic and the importance of family. He welcomed each day with enthusiasm and always had a smile for his friends and colleagues. Ron touched so many lives with his wisdom and kindness. He quietly took great pleasure in helping others including strangers and if you tried to thank him, he would smile and flatly deny any involvement. One of his joys was taking photos and he always had his camera at the ready, then sharing the photos with others, often mailing cards to friends with reminders from their last get together. Also, a dog lover, Ron always had biscuits nearby or in his pocket for all the dogs in the neighborhood and at the cottage. An electrician by trade, he worked for several companies, but his goal was to become a business owner. In 1977, with the support of his wife Ruth and his father Stan, Ron founded Rockingham Electric Limited. He spent the next 40 years building a successful legacy for his children. He was a member of IBEW Local 625 and was very involved in the growth of the Electrical Trade in Nova Scotia. He sat as a Trustee on the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee. In addition to that, Ron was very committed to DASC Industries and sat on their Board of Directors for a number of years. Ron enjoyed sports, especially hockey. He spent many years coaching both Paula and Kevin’s hockey teams. He loved hosting the team parties at his home, which usually meant very little notice for Ruth that not only the team was coming over, but the parents and coaches as well. Undeniably though, Ron’s best years were spent at the family cottage on Tupper Lake. There Ron and Ruth enjoyed spending time with their children, grandchildren and the family dogs. They both loved the Annapolis Valley and often visited local markets and farms. Their door was always open to friends and family as they loved to entertain. Ron is survived by his daughter Paula Dempsey, son-in-law Rick, son Kevin and daughter-in-law Nicole, grandsons Neil Dempsey and Hunter Ashley, granddaughter Ashleigh George (Rene) and great granddaughters Emery and Maeva George. He was predeceased by his wife of 53 years, Ruth, his father Stan and mother Ruth. We would sincerely like to thank Ron’s entire healthcare team including Dr. Chris Graham, Dr. Harry Henteleff and the nursing staff on 6A at the VG. Also, a special thank you to Devin, Monica and the entire Palliative Care team for their care and compassion. Ron was very grateful for all the assistance and love you showed him. Visitation will be held Wednesday, March 20 from 4pm-7pm. The funeral service will be held Friday, March 22 at 2pm at J.A. Snow Funeral Home, 339 Lacewood Drive, Halifax. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Playing and Learning Together, Ron’s grandson Hunter’s after-school program supporting Autistic children and youth. He saw first-hand the benefit this program had on his grandson and was very supportive of the organization. Playing and Learning Together PO Box 38058, Dartmouth, NS B3B 1X2 [email protected]