Carl Vernon Ashworth

ASHWORTH, Carl Vernon, 93, died at home on Friday, June 25, 2010, in Richmond, Va. He was born April 8, 1917 to Durrell Linwood and Emma Virginia Ashworth. He attended Thomas Jefferson High School and graduated from the University of Maryland. He joined the USAF serving in WWII and the Korean War, retiring in 1963, and attaining the rank of Lt. Colonel after 23 years of service. He was a member of the 339th Fighter Group Association. He worked for the Richmond office of the Internal Revenue Service for 10 years. His passion was music and at age 19, he won the Grace Moore Scholarship to study voice with the renowned Emma Grey Trigg. He was a member of the Richmond Opera Group and performed leading baritone roles in The Mikado, The Chocolate Soldier, Gypsy Baron, The Student Prince and Amahl and the Night Visitors. He went on to do graduate work at Cambridge University. He was baritone soloist at First Presbyterian Church on Cary Street for over 15 years and at Beth Ahabah Synagogue. He is survived by his wife, Ann La Fratta Ashworth of Richmond; daughter, Virginia Ashworth Briggs and son-in-law, Cordell Briggs, of Richmond; son, Steven Wallace Ashworth and daughter-in-law, Donna Liu Ashworth, of Richmond; seven grandchildren, Michael Roger Briggs of Phoenix, Ariz., Charles A. Cab Briggs, Catherine Cook Briggs, Cordell H. Briggs, all of Richmond, Andrew Liu Ashworth, George Liu Ashworth and Steven Liu Ashworth, all of Richmond; three great-grandchildren, William, Matthew and Carter Briggs of Phoenix, Ariz.; nieces, Frances Burton Triebes of Midland, Mich., and Carol Phillips Mullins of Crewe, Va. He was predeceased by his wife of 53 years, Thelma Cook Ashworth, mother of his two surviving children; sisters, Isabel Ashworth Burton and Nellie Ashworth Phillips; brother, Garland Ashworth; and granddaughter, Becky Ann Briggs. A memorial service with reception following will be held on Saturday, July 10, 2010, at 11 a.m. at St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 6000 Grove Ave., Richmond, Va. For more information call (804)740-9639. Memorial donations, in lieu of flowers, may be made to the Becky Ann Briggs Memorial Foundation and sent to Community Foundation, 7501 Boulder View Dr., Suite 110, Richmond, Va. 23225, (804)330-7400.


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.