William Laverne Ashby Jr.

William (Bill) Ashby, age 83, of Tampa, Florida, passed away peacefully on November 6, 2024. Born and raised in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, Bill graduated from Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts degree before embarking on a fulfilling career as an entrepreneur.

For 43 years, he was the proud owner and operator of A & A Printing, a business he built with passion and dedication, serving his community since 1981. Bill’s work ethic and commitment to excellence left a lasting impact on his employees, clients, and everyone fortunate enough to know him.

Outside of work, Bill was an avid golfer who loved traveling to play on renowned courses, and was well-known for his keen ability to handicap horse races. Family time was especially precious to him; he was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather, who never missed one of his grandson’s baseball games and delighted in whipping up his famous blueberry pancakes for his grandkids. Whether volunteering his time, sharing resources, or offering a listening ear, his kindness, generosity and dedication to others reflected an unwavering embodiment of service and compassion.

Bill is survived by his beloved wife of 50 years, Pat Ashby; his son, Billy Ashby, and daughter-in-law, Sara Ashby; his daughter, Karen Ledesma, and son-in-law, Aaron Ledesma; and his cherished grandchildren, Selah Ledesma, Chase Ashby, and Miles Ashby. He will be deeply missed by his family and friends, who will remember him for his humor, warmth, wisdom and generosity.

A celebration of Bill’s life will be held at 2 pm on Sunday, December 8th at Grace Family Church located at 5101 Van Dyke Rd, Lutz, FL 33558.