Kenneth Ashton

Kenneth Ashton

Much to the sadness of his friends and family, Kenneth Ashton, age 83, died Monday, December 28th having lived life largely and with gusto. Born in Derby, England, he retired from the British Army Dental Corps where he served in Egypt, Korea, Japan, Cyprus and Germany, and also volunteered as a swimming and scuba instructor. He moved to Bothell, WA in 1973 with his wife and two children.

Ken was blessed with nine lives, one that would have ended many times if he were a mere mortal. As a young man he had a motorcycle and while on it one day realized he was about to be hit by a car. He reacted by jumping straight up off the bike high enough so the car went underneath him taking his motorcycle with it. Ken landed on his feet at the same spot where his motorcycle was just moments earlier.

In his sixties, he strapped a large couch to his back and climbed a ladder to move it into an apartment. The ladder collapsed underneath him yet Ken walked away unscathed.

That was Ken, larger than life.

At age eighty while building a shed, Ken suffered a stroke that kept him bedridden ever since. He surprised his physicians by rallying many times when they thought he couldn't.

He was preceded in death by two of his three children, Marion (18 months) and Anthony (48), as well as their mother and Ken's first wife, Helga (June 2015) , his parents Frederick and Winifred, and his brother Michael.

Ken was a man who worked hard, was an accomplished musician and spent a great deal of time in the outdoors kayaking and other activities. A lifelong learner, he had factual information on nearly every subject, and provided good ideas and advice.

In the 1980's, Ken met and married his present wife, Lori, and raised her two children. A pivotal force in the passage of the denturist law in WA state, Ken opened Ashton's Queen Anne Denture Center.

Ken and Lori moved to Virginia where they spent much time exploring our nation's history.

Ken is survived by wife, Lori, who writes "Kenneth had the most wonderful sense of humor. We always found laughter in almost any situation. He was simply the finest man I have ever known", and her two children, Cliff and Lisa (Lisa moved to Virginia to assist in providing care for Ken), his son Andrew and wife Tara, grandson Brad, granddaughter Taylor, her husband Paul, and their son Maxim, as well as his sisters Joan, Kate, and Jennifer, and brother Donald.

We sorely miss our patriarch. Rest in peace, Ken.