James D. Ashford, age 78 of Portage, IN passed away on Thursday, October 20, 2022. He was born on May 17, 1944 in Woodbury, TN to Bedford and Olena "Lois" (Campbell) Ashford.
James is survived by his wife of 26 years, Barbara (Smith) Ashford; sons, James (Dottie) Ashford Jr., Bob (Christy) Ashford; daughter, Rhonda Haywood; step-son, Mark (Lori) Williams; step-daughter, Nicole (James) Sopher; grandsons, Matt, Jarod, Robert, Ben, Alex, Xavier, Jimmy, III, Tyler, Connor; granddaughters, Rhonda, Amanda, Samantha, Toya; and 5 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bedford Francis Ashford and Olena Lois Ashford; first wife, Martha Ashford; sisters, Jean Warren, Shirley Hutchins; and brother, Clyde Ashford.
James was a dedicated family man and his passion was for his family. He enjoyed smoking his cigars and watching drag races. James retired from Inland Steel after 41 years of service in 2004. He loved spending time with his grandchildren and watching them grow. James was a selfless man and would help anyone in need whether it was his time or his money. He was a member of Grace Church of the Nazarene in Portage, IN and attended every Sunday. James will be truly missed and never forgotten.
Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, October 25, 2022 at 12:00 pm at Grace Church of the Nazarene, 5360 Clem Rd., Portage, IN 46368 with Pastor Mark Hostetler officiating. Visitation will be from 10:00 am until the time of service at 12:00 pm at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in James' honor may be made to the
American Lung Association, 55 W. Wacker Dr., Ste. 1150, Chicago, IL 60601.