David Ashworth

David Ashworth died peacefully at home on December 23, 2025 with his sweetheart Jayne and their beloved daughter Kristen by his side. Dave was born in Massachusetts in 1947, grew up in New Hampshire, studied, lived and worked most of his adult life in Virginia.
Upon retiring from gainful employment, he fulfilled a longtime dream of moving to Mount Desert Island (MDI), Maine, where he loved to be active in many of the outdoor activities the island offered (biking, canoeing, kayaking, snowshoeing, etc.) As a lifelong learner, during retirement he participated in courses at Acadia Senior College. He enjoyed attending the excellent live musical presentations that seem to abound on and near MDI. At home Dave enjoyed reading (history, poetry, many types of fiction, technology, ...), listening to music (jazz, folk, blues, opera, classical, country, rock, easy listening ...), tinkering with technology (he loved Raspberry Pi computers!), and observing celestial objects in the night skies through his telescope, all while watching the Gulf of Maine tides move in and out each day. He was an avid sports fan of teams both from Boston and his alma mater, the University of Virginia. He and Jayne had some wonderful adventures traveling with friends.

Dave was an aerospace engineer by training and profession who loved to fly both as a passenger and with his private pilot's license. During his career he developed instrumentation to keep aircraft flying, helped to develop a portable evoked response audiometer for use in provider offices and schools, was fascinated by outer space and all that it entails, and ended his career helping to develop machines for gaming.

Dave enjoyed laughing and had many an amusing story of unusual experiences from his youth and college years. He once noted that he learned "never to say no just because you don't know how to do it," revealing both his passion for learning along with his impish sense of adventure. His dry wit and gentle wry observations of life kept everyone around him entertained.

In retirement Dave was recruited to work with the Board of the Southwest Harbor Tremont Ambulance Service where he used his data-driven analytic skills and computer skills to help with their needs. He enjoyed working with all the volunteers on the Board and greatly treasured not only the work they did together, but each of them as individuals.

Dave is survived by his sweetheart Jayne, his beloved daughter Kristen (Jay, Maggie, Charlie), and his beloved siblings and cousins: Bill (Pauline), Gary (Emily), Richard (Kim), Mo (Alan), and Karen (Bob), as well as their assorted generations of nieces, nephews, and cousins.

A celebration of remembrance is being contemplated at a later date.

Kristy and Jayne are most grateful to Dr. Tanya Hanke of the Community Health Center in Southwest Harbor, Maine; to Dr. Robert Hallowell of the Interstitial Lung Disease Program at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts; and to the staff of these facilities for their care, wisdom, guidance, and kindness these last few years.

Dave requested that those who want to remember him make a donation to the Southwest Harbor Tremont Ambulance Service, PO Box 437, Southwest Harbor, ME 04679.