Richland, Oregon
Wanden Lloyd Ashby, 77, of Richland, died Nov. 10, 2004, at St. Alphonsus Hospital in Boise of complications from heart surgery.
His graveside service will be at noon Saturday at Eagle Valley Cemetery in Richland. Pastor Ralph Holcomb of the Baker Christian Church will officiate. Military rites will be conducted by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 7847, Halfway.
Wanden was his own man. He served his country during World War II, after joining the U.S. Navy at age 16 with his dad’s OK. He received two Purple Hearts, one in the Battle of the Philippine Sea and one at Okinawa. After the war he sailed with the Merchant Marines for about nine years.
After serving his country, Wanden moved to Omak, Wash. He later moved to Keller, Wash., where he was married and bought a ranch. Later he bought another ranch in Moses Lake, Wash. He and his wife were divorced and he sold his property.
Wanden acquired some racehorses and raced them at Portland, Yakima, Spokane and Seattle, Wash. He sold his horses after a few years and bought a house at Richland.
Wanden and his very good friend, Glenn Densley, prospected and mined. In his later years he had a small sawmill and started making wooden bowls. He never sold any, but gave them to friends and relatives.
In addition to mining, he loved fly-fishing and hunting.
The family expressed appreciation to Wanden’s many good friends, especially Art Conklin, who ran him back and forth to Boise; Jim Harrison and his wife, Dorothy, who took care of his dog, Molly; and John and Dorothy Randall and son, Rocky.
Survivors include his daughter, Cheryl Johnson, and her husband, Bill, of Lewiston, Idaho; grandchildren, Bren, Suzanne and Steven Johnson also of Lewiston, Idaho; brothers, Vaden Ashby, and his wife, Fern, of Enumclaw, Wash., and Wilbur Ashby and his wife, Carol, of John Day; nephews, Dagan Ashby of Puyallup, Wash., Dennis Ashby of Moses Lake, Wash., and Kevin Ashby and Blaiden Ashby, both of John Day; nieces, Trace Andrew and Adele Wilson, also of John Day.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Eagle Valley Cemetery through Gray’s West & Co., P.O. Box 726, Baker City, OR 97814.
Used with permission from: Baker City Herald, Baker City, Oregon, November 19, 2004
Transcribed by: Belva Ticknor