Albert J. Ashley

Albert J. Ashley musician, writer, and loving father of five, passed away on Monday, October 27, 2014 at the age of 78.Mr. Ashley was born in Bristol Connecticut on July 2, 1936 to Albert J. Ashley II and Margaret Irene Ashley. He grew up in the hamlet of Pequabuck, in the town of Terryville, and graduated from Terryville High School in 1954. Mr. Ashley went on to Nasson College in Springvale, Maine where he graduated with a degree in Public Relations and Advertising in 1958. While at Nasson, he served in the Marine Corps Reserve and met and courted Anna Murphy-St. Amand. They married in May of 1959. During his years in Springvale he formed an enduring bond with Southern Maine, a place he cherished and lived most of his life. After college Mr. Ashley joined the Navy and served aboard the USS Evergreen in Norfolk Virginia. When his term in the Navy concluded, he and Anna moved to New York City in where he worked for Triumph motor company as advertising executive. In 1965 Mr. Ashley returned to Maine and worked in public relations for Nasson College, the University of New Hampshire and Maine Medical Center among others. In 1971, Mr. Ashley and Alan Jasper formed Ashley Jasper Associates, a public relations firm in Kennebunk, Maine. By 1976 Mr. Ashley had established his own firm, Ashley Public Relations. He represented a varietyclients, with a focus on automotive suppliers. Mr. Ashley loved the outdoors and shared that love with his family, whether it was hunting or hiking in the fall, skiing in the winter, or biking and exploring the coast of Maine in the summer. After retiring from advertising, Mr. Ashley focused on his lifelong passions: music and writing. He wrote fiction and autobiographical stories until his last days. He sang and played several instruments and performed with The Portland Symphony Orchestra, blue grass bands and with his friends and brother Paul. He was happiest when he was performing. He is survived by his sister Joyce of Terryville, CT and his brother Paul, of Plymouth, MA, his children: David and Karen Ashley of Eliot, ME, Dan and Laura Ashley of Fairfax VA, Michael Ashley and Richard Tucker of Brooklyn, New York, Mary Ashley and Brad Wieners of Nyack, New York and James and Kirsten Ashley of Marstons Mills, MA. He was proud of his 12 grandchildren: Rick, Ashley, Marisa, Meredith, Theodore, Gabriel, Ella, Kaiyn, Rowen, Nate, Gus and Silas. A memorial service with military honors will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday November 8th at Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home located at 580 Main Street, Springvale, Maine. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the American Diabetes Association, online at www.diabetes.org.Arrangements are under the direction of Black Funeral Homes and Cremation Services, Sanford-Springvale.To leave a message of condolences for the family please click on the condolences tab to the left.