Vernon was born September 7, 1938, in Lewis County, Kentucky, the son of the late Delbert and Goldie Inez (Pendulum) Ash. He was a deacon of Good Faith Baptist Church in Marion. Vernon was a veteran of the US Marine Corps discharged in 1959 as a Lance Corporal. He retired from General Motors in Mansfield and enjoyed traveling, hunting, fishing, and going to auctions.
He is survived by his wife, Lula (McCann) Bentley Ash; two sons, Vernon (Anita) Ash Jr. of Crestline, OH, and Mark (Diana) Ash of Mansfield, OH; two daughters, Melanie (Christopher) Schwall of Ridgecrest, CA, and Michelle Ash of Mansfield; a step daughter, Bonita (Jim) Applegate of Flemingsburg, KY; two step sons, Ronald (Amy) Bentley of Larue, OH, and Douglas Bentley of Marion; four grandchildren, Mark (Danielle) Ash, Amber (Larry) Rust, Alicia (Daniel) Blunk and Matthew (Kaetlyn) Schwall; seven great-grandchildren; six step grandchildren, Samantha Bentley, Ashley Sutton, Sara Bentley, Savanna Bentley, Jordon (Destiny) Bentley, and Zachery Daily; and five step great-grandchildren.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, Jeannetta Ash; four brothers, Hansel, Rival, David and Hubert Ash; and sister, Martha Savage.
The family will receive friends from 5:00-8:00 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, 2024, at Wappner Funeral Directors-Ontario, 100 S. Lexington-Springmill Rd. A second visitation will be held from 2:00-3:00 p.m. Thursday, March 7, 2024, at Gaydos Funeral Home, 159 2nd St., Vanceburg, KY. His funeral service will immediately follow at 3:00 p.m. He will be laid to rest with military honors in Lewis County Memory Gardens, Black Oak, KY.