Michael Frederick Ashby

Mike was born on March 3, 1938, to James and Pauline (Huslik) Ashby in Chicago, IL. Mike graduated from St. Mark’s Lutheran School and Harrison Technical High School and attended Northwestern University in Chicago. While a student at St. Mark’s, Mike came to know the two loves of his life, Jesus Christ, and, Wilna Joan Niemann. Mike was baptized on March 4, 1951, and confirmed his faith in Christ on March 18, 1951, marrying Wilna on September 19, 1959.

Mike and Wilna lived their early married life in Chicago and for many years in the suburb of Lisle, IL. They had five children together: Susan, Lisa, Mark, Jennifer, and Matthew. They relocated to Aurora, CO, in the late 1970’s, later making their retirement home in Commerce City, CO. Mike was a hardworking, disciplined, and deeply committed man, holding a number of blue collar and retail jobs before working his way through the professional ranks of Western Electric (eventually AT&T), ending his career as a human resources supervisor.

As a child growing up in Chicago near the Great Lakes, Mike acquired a life-long passion for fishing and baseball—moving from a White Sox boy in love with a Cubs fan to living in the land of the Colorado Rockies. In his spare time, Mike loved music, travel, reading, gardening, problem-solving (anything), and dogs. A good listener and a friend to anyone who asked, Mike appreciated people—at church, in his neighborhood, and wherever life took him. He was always good for a story, whether it was how he got to cook with Dick Butkus of “da Bears” while Mike was serving in the Army, or the time Tony Bennett touched his shoulder while performing at a nightclub in Chicago. Having had his father-in-law, Bill, take him to concerts in Grant Park in Chicago, Mike became a lover of live performances who could detail every show, symphony or pop concert that he and Wilna attended. He happily recalled how as young couple a friend gave them tickets to the first Broadway tour of the original “Fiddler on the Roof” and the fun they had “Dancing in the Street” at Neil Diamond concerts. His love of art extended to galleries, and he often walked from the Western Electric building at State and Kinzie Streets to the Art Institute of Chicago for lunch breaks. After every trip he and Wilna took together or with his dear friends from the “Grace Wanderers,” Mike had tales of the places they’d seen, grand adventure, impossible silliness from Wilna, and crazy mishaps along the way. However, the stories that mattered the most to Mike were stories about his family, his wife, his kids, his dearest friends, and his Lord, Jesus. Especially later in life, sharing these stories and working to keep his family and friends connected through common history, interests, and faith. Never afraid to share that faith, to the very end, every person he met was told “where he was going” and why.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents, James and Pauline; a grandson, Justin; and his wife, Wilna. Mike is survived by his daughter, Susan (Charles) Hart of Brighton, CO; his daughter, Lisa Ashby of Seward, NE; his son, Mark (Christie) of Thornton, CO; Jennifer (Charles) Kard of St. Petersburg, FL; his son, Matthew (Brittany) of Cheyenne, WY; “other daughter,” Renea Gernant of Louisville, NE; seven grandchildren, Nathanael (Trisha) Hart of Georgetown, TX, Hannah (Landin) Willis of Hudson, CO, Alana Ashby of Laramie, WY, Aubrey Ashby of Cheyenne, WY, Charles (Charlie) and James Kard of St. Petersburg, FL, and Ian Ashby of Thornton, CO; three great-grandchildren, Carter Willis of Hudson, CO, Emmie and Bennett Hart of Georgetown, TX; two brothers, James Ashby of IL and Robert Ashby of FL; and many close friends.

Memorials may be directed to: Zion Lutheran Church and School, 1400 Steel St., Brighton, CO, 80601; Concordia University, 800 N. Columbia, Seward, NE, 68434; or the American Cancer Society.

Services are planned for October 6th, 2023 at Zion Lutheran Church in Brighton, CO, at 10 AM with his dear friend, Pastor David Schilling, officiating. Arrangements are under the direction of Olinger Highland Mortuary & Cemetery, Thornton, CO.