Ashton B.T. Smith, Jr., 79 of West Chester and Montana, died Friday, March 7th at his home in West Goshen surrounded by his loving family. He was the husband of the late Louise Mendenhall Smith.
He was born in West Chester, the only son of the late Ashton B.T. Smith, Sr. and the late Katharine Moses Smith, "Mother Smith".
Ashton Smith was both a true country gentleman, and a cowboy – and could switch those roles with a skill that was remarkably seamless. Ash had a charisma that made people want to be his friend, and if he was your friend you became a better person. He was not above pulling practical jokes on his friends, and was equally willing to be the brunt of those jokes...if it could be done, it was not an easy task. Ash could relate jokes and stories with the skill of a comedian.
Ash was a 1953 Graduate of West Chester Henderson High School and then attended West Chester State Teachers College until leaving there to attend Mortuary School. In 1960, he graduated from Eckels College of Mortuary Science and became a licensed funeral director in 1961. He served in the U.S. Navy Air as an ECM operator from 1957-1959.
Ash was the owner and operator of J. B. Smith & Son Funeral Home, on East Gay Street in West Chester since the death of his father in 1970. The funeral home had been established in 1875 by his great-grandfather, cabinet maker Joseph. B. Smith. Ash became the 4th generation to operate the family business. Ash merged his funeral home with the Reilly & DellaVecchia Funeral Home also of West Chester in 1994. At the time of the merger Smith Funeral Home was the oldest active funeral home in Chester County. The new name became DellaVecchia, Reilly, & Smith Funeral Home, Inc.
Ash was a prized member of many community and fraternal organizations as well as multiple committees for which he served. Ash was past chairman of the Wawaset Hunt Show, former past president & treasurer of the Chester County Funeral Directors Association, he also served 18 years as a member and the former Chairman of the Civil Service Commission. With one of his best friends Charles Swope, he was co-chairman of the 175th Anniversary celebration of West Chester. He also was a former board member of the Chamber of Commerce of Greater West Chester.
He received the West Chester Outstanding Citizen of the year award in 1982, and was Elk of the Year that same year. Ash was awarded Small Businessman of the Year in 1992 by the West Chester Chamber of Commerce.
Ash belonged to many local religious and civic brotherhoods: He was a member of the West Chester F&AM Masonic Lodge #322, where he once occupied a chair. He belonged also to the Church of the Holy Trinity, where he was a former Vestrymen. He was an honorary member and a former advisory board member of the Chester County Lodge #11 Fraternal Order of Police. He also was a member of the Good Fellowship Ambulance Club, and the West Chester Rotary Club, where he served as a former board member for both, he belonged to the B.P.O. Elks Lodge #853 where he had served as a trustee, the Fame Fire Company, and he was a life member of the West Chester Fish & Game Association.
Ash was also an avid deer hunter and hunted often from his tree stand at his cabin in Centre County, Pennsylvania.
Over the years, Ash enjoyed collecting western art. He also enjoyed the many friends he made at the Coeur d'Alene Art Auction and the C.M. Russell Auction in Great Falls, Montana. He previously served on the National Advisory Board for the Charles M. Russell Museum for 11 years.
In 1998, retirement took him to Montana where he bought a home in Utica and lived a lifelong dream of working on a ranch, riding horses, mining for sapphires, and farming at R & S Angus Ranch for 3 years and then Swanz Ranch until 2012. He also helped his good friends Floyd and Linda Forbes in their Montana businesses.
Like his great grandfather, Ash enjoyed spending hours working in his woodshop, both in West Chester and Montana.
In Montana, Ash was a member of Hobson United Methodist Church, Sapphire Village Mining Association and was the president of the Utica Rod & Gun Club.
Ash is survived by his loving daughter, Patricia Smith Love and her husband Richard R. Love of West Chester; a son, Ashton B.T. Smith, III of Exton; Grandchildren, Bryan Richard Love, Mark Ellis Love, Michael Ashton Love, Ryleigh Downey Smith Grady; great-grandson, Conner Cushman Love; step-children, Lyn C. Kunda of Barnegat, NJ, William M. Martin of Coatesville; and step-grandson, Carl Kunda.
Interment will be at Oaklands Cemetery in West Chester. His viewing will be held from 5:00-8:00pm with a Masonic Service at 7:00pm Friday, March 14, 2014 and from 9:30-11:00am Saturday, March 15, 2014 at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, Mr. Smith has requested that contributions be sent to:
Camilla Hall Nursing Home
c/o Mission Advancement,
P.O. Box 200,
Immaculata, PA 19345.
The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary have always had a special place in the hearts of our family and we are truly blessed for their love, support and prayers over many generations.
He was born in West Chester, the only son of the late Ashton B.T. Smith, Sr. and the late Katharine Moses Smith, "Mother Smith".
Ashton Smith was both a true country gentleman, and a cowboy – and could switch those roles with a skill that was remarkably seamless. Ash had a charisma that made people want to be his friend, and if he was your friend you became a better person. He was not above pulling practical jokes on his friends, and was equally willing to be the brunt of those jokes...if it could be done, it was not an easy task. Ash could relate jokes and stories with the skill of a comedian.
Ash was a 1953 Graduate of West Chester Henderson High School and then attended West Chester State Teachers College until leaving there to attend Mortuary School. In 1960, he graduated from Eckels College of Mortuary Science and became a licensed funeral director in 1961. He served in the U.S. Navy Air as an ECM operator from 1957-1959.
Ash was the owner and operator of J. B. Smith & Son Funeral Home, on East Gay Street in West Chester since the death of his father in 1970. The funeral home had been established in 1875 by his great-grandfather, cabinet maker Joseph. B. Smith. Ash became the 4th generation to operate the family business. Ash merged his funeral home with the Reilly & DellaVecchia Funeral Home also of West Chester in 1994. At the time of the merger Smith Funeral Home was the oldest active funeral home in Chester County. The new name became DellaVecchia, Reilly, & Smith Funeral Home, Inc.
Ash was a prized member of many community and fraternal organizations as well as multiple committees for which he served. Ash was past chairman of the Wawaset Hunt Show, former past president & treasurer of the Chester County Funeral Directors Association, he also served 18 years as a member and the former Chairman of the Civil Service Commission. With one of his best friends Charles Swope, he was co-chairman of the 175th Anniversary celebration of West Chester. He also was a former board member of the Chamber of Commerce of Greater West Chester.
He received the West Chester Outstanding Citizen of the year award in 1982, and was Elk of the Year that same year. Ash was awarded Small Businessman of the Year in 1992 by the West Chester Chamber of Commerce.
Ash belonged to many local religious and civic brotherhoods: He was a member of the West Chester F&AM Masonic Lodge #322, where he once occupied a chair. He belonged also to the Church of the Holy Trinity, where he was a former Vestrymen. He was an honorary member and a former advisory board member of the Chester County Lodge #11 Fraternal Order of Police. He also was a member of the Good Fellowship Ambulance Club, and the West Chester Rotary Club, where he served as a former board member for both, he belonged to the B.P.O. Elks Lodge #853 where he had served as a trustee, the Fame Fire Company, and he was a life member of the West Chester Fish & Game Association.
Ash was also an avid deer hunter and hunted often from his tree stand at his cabin in Centre County, Pennsylvania.
Over the years, Ash enjoyed collecting western art. He also enjoyed the many friends he made at the Coeur d'Alene Art Auction and the C.M. Russell Auction in Great Falls, Montana. He previously served on the National Advisory Board for the Charles M. Russell Museum for 11 years.
In 1998, retirement took him to Montana where he bought a home in Utica and lived a lifelong dream of working on a ranch, riding horses, mining for sapphires, and farming at R & S Angus Ranch for 3 years and then Swanz Ranch until 2012. He also helped his good friends Floyd and Linda Forbes in their Montana businesses.
Like his great grandfather, Ash enjoyed spending hours working in his woodshop, both in West Chester and Montana.
In Montana, Ash was a member of Hobson United Methodist Church, Sapphire Village Mining Association and was the president of the Utica Rod & Gun Club.
Ash is survived by his loving daughter, Patricia Smith Love and her husband Richard R. Love of West Chester; a son, Ashton B.T. Smith, III of Exton; Grandchildren, Bryan Richard Love, Mark Ellis Love, Michael Ashton Love, Ryleigh Downey Smith Grady; great-grandson, Conner Cushman Love; step-children, Lyn C. Kunda of Barnegat, NJ, William M. Martin of Coatesville; and step-grandson, Carl Kunda.
Interment will be at Oaklands Cemetery in West Chester. His viewing will be held from 5:00-8:00pm with a Masonic Service at 7:00pm Friday, March 14, 2014 and from 9:30-11:00am Saturday, March 15, 2014 at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, Mr. Smith has requested that contributions be sent to:
Camilla Hall Nursing Home
c/o Mission Advancement,
P.O. Box 200,
Immaculata, PA 19345.
The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary have always had a special place in the hearts of our family and we are truly blessed for their love, support and prayers over many generations.
Ashton B.T. Smith, Jr., 79 of West Chester and Montana, died Friday, March 7th at his home in West Goshen surrounded by his loving family. He was the husband of the late Louise Mendenhall Smith.
He was born in West Chester, the only son of the late Ashton B.T. Smith, Sr. and the late Katharine Moses Smith, "Mother Smith".
Ashton Smith was both a true country gentleman, and a cowboy – and could switch those roles with a skill that was remarkably seamless. Ash had a charisma that made people want to be his friend, and if he was your friend you became a better person. He was not above pulling practical jokes on his friends, and was equally willing to be the brunt of those jokes...if it could be done, it was not an easy task. Ash could relate jokes and stories with the skill of a comedian.
Ash was a 1953 Graduate of West Chester Henderson High School and then attended West Chester State Teachers College until leaving there to attend Mortuary School. In 1960, he graduated from Eckels College of Mortuary Science and became a licensed funeral director in 1961. He served in the U.S. Navy Air as an ECM operator from 1957-1959.
Ash was the owner and operator of J. B. Smith & Son Funeral Home, on East Gay Street in West Chester since the death of his father in 1970. The funeral home had been established in 1875 by his great-grandfather, cabinet maker Joseph. B. Smith. Ash became the 4th generation to operate the family business. Ash merged his funeral home with the Reilly & DellaVecchia Funeral Home also of West Chester in 1994. At the time of the merger Smith Funeral Home was the oldest active funeral home in Chester County. The new name became DellaVecchia, Reilly, & Smith Funeral Home, Inc.
Ash was a prized member of many community and fraternal organizations as well as multiple committees for which he served. Ash was past chairman of the Wawaset Hunt Show, former past president & treasurer of the Chester County Funeral Directors Association, he also served 18 years as a member and the former Chairman of the Civil Service Commission. With one of his best friends Charles Swope, he was co-chairman of the 175th Anniversary celebration of West Chester. He also was a former board member of the Chamber of Commerce of Greater West Chester.
He received the West Chester Outstanding Citizen of the year award in 1982, and was Elk of the Year that same year. Ash was awarded Small Businessman of the Year in 1992 by the West Chester Chamber of Commerce.
Ash belonged to many local religious and civic brotherhoods: He was a member of the West Chester F&AM Masonic Lodge #322, where he once occupied a chair. He belonged also to the Church of the Holy Trinity, where he was a former Vestrymen. He was an honorary member and a former advisory board member of the Chester County Lodge #11 Fraternal Order of Police. He also was a member of the Good Fellowship Ambulance Club, and the West Chester Rotary Club, where he served as a former board member for both, he belonged to the B.P.O. Elks Lodge #853 where he had served as a trustee, the Fame Fire Company, and he was a life member of the West Chester Fish & Game Association.
Ash was also an avid deer hunter and hunted often from his tree stand at his cabin in Centre County, Pennsylvania.
Over the years, Ash enjoyed collecting western art. He also enjoyed the many friends he made at the Coeur d'Alene Art Auction and the C.M. Russell Auction in Great Falls, Montana. He previously served on the National Advisory Board for the Charles M. Russell Museum for 11 years.
In 1998, retirement took him to Montana where he bought a home in Utica and lived a lifelong dream of working on a ranch, riding horses, mining for sapphires, and farming at R & S Angus Ranch for 3 years and then Swanz Ranch until 2012. He also helped his good friends Floyd and Linda Forbes in their Montana businesses.
Like his great grandfather, Ash enjoyed spending hours working in his woodshop, both in West Chester and Montana.
In Montana, Ash was a member of Hobson United Methodist Church, Sapphire Village Mining Association and was the president of the Utica Rod & Gun Club.
Ash is survived by his loving daughter, Patricia Smith Love and her husband Richard R. Love of West Chester; a son, Ashton B.T. Smith, III of Exton; Grandchildren, Bryan Richard Love, Mark Ellis Love, Michael Ashton Love, Ryleigh Downey Smith Grady; great-grandson, Conner Cushman Love; step-children, Lyn C. Kunda of Barnegat, NJ, William M. Martin of Coatesville; and step-grandson, Carl Kunda.
Interment will be at Oaklands Cemetery in West Chester. His viewing will be held from 5:00-8:00pm with a Masonic Service at 7:00pm Friday, March 14, 2014 and from 9:30-11:00am Saturday, March 15, 2014 at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, Mr. Smith has requested that contributions be sent to:
Camilla Hall Nursing Home
c/o Mission Advancement,
P.O. Box 200,
Immaculata, PA 19345.
The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary have always had a special place in the hearts of our family and we are truly blessed for their love, support and prayers over many generations.
He was born in West Chester, the only son of the late Ashton B.T. Smith, Sr. and the late Katharine Moses Smith, "Mother Smith".
Ashton Smith was both a true country gentleman, and a cowboy – and could switch those roles with a skill that was remarkably seamless. Ash had a charisma that made people want to be his friend, and if he was your friend you became a better person. He was not above pulling practical jokes on his friends, and was equally willing to be the brunt of those jokes...if it could be done, it was not an easy task. Ash could relate jokes and stories with the skill of a comedian.
Ash was a 1953 Graduate of West Chester Henderson High School and then attended West Chester State Teachers College until leaving there to attend Mortuary School. In 1960, he graduated from Eckels College of Mortuary Science and became a licensed funeral director in 1961. He served in the U.S. Navy Air as an ECM operator from 1957-1959.
Ash was the owner and operator of J. B. Smith & Son Funeral Home, on East Gay Street in West Chester since the death of his father in 1970. The funeral home had been established in 1875 by his great-grandfather, cabinet maker Joseph. B. Smith. Ash became the 4th generation to operate the family business. Ash merged his funeral home with the Reilly & DellaVecchia Funeral Home also of West Chester in 1994. At the time of the merger Smith Funeral Home was the oldest active funeral home in Chester County. The new name became DellaVecchia, Reilly, & Smith Funeral Home, Inc.
Ash was a prized member of many community and fraternal organizations as well as multiple committees for which he served. Ash was past chairman of the Wawaset Hunt Show, former past president & treasurer of the Chester County Funeral Directors Association, he also served 18 years as a member and the former Chairman of the Civil Service Commission. With one of his best friends Charles Swope, he was co-chairman of the 175th Anniversary celebration of West Chester. He also was a former board member of the Chamber of Commerce of Greater West Chester.
He received the West Chester Outstanding Citizen of the year award in 1982, and was Elk of the Year that same year. Ash was awarded Small Businessman of the Year in 1992 by the West Chester Chamber of Commerce.
Ash belonged to many local religious and civic brotherhoods: He was a member of the West Chester F&AM Masonic Lodge #322, where he once occupied a chair. He belonged also to the Church of the Holy Trinity, where he was a former Vestrymen. He was an honorary member and a former advisory board member of the Chester County Lodge #11 Fraternal Order of Police. He also was a member of the Good Fellowship Ambulance Club, and the West Chester Rotary Club, where he served as a former board member for both, he belonged to the B.P.O. Elks Lodge #853 where he had served as a trustee, the Fame Fire Company, and he was a life member of the West Chester Fish & Game Association.
Ash was also an avid deer hunter and hunted often from his tree stand at his cabin in Centre County, Pennsylvania.
Over the years, Ash enjoyed collecting western art. He also enjoyed the many friends he made at the Coeur d'Alene Art Auction and the C.M. Russell Auction in Great Falls, Montana. He previously served on the National Advisory Board for the Charles M. Russell Museum for 11 years.
In 1998, retirement took him to Montana where he bought a home in Utica and lived a lifelong dream of working on a ranch, riding horses, mining for sapphires, and farming at R & S Angus Ranch for 3 years and then Swanz Ranch until 2012. He also helped his good friends Floyd and Linda Forbes in their Montana businesses.
Like his great grandfather, Ash enjoyed spending hours working in his woodshop, both in West Chester and Montana.
In Montana, Ash was a member of Hobson United Methodist Church, Sapphire Village Mining Association and was the president of the Utica Rod & Gun Club.
Ash is survived by his loving daughter, Patricia Smith Love and her husband Richard R. Love of West Chester; a son, Ashton B.T. Smith, III of Exton; Grandchildren, Bryan Richard Love, Mark Ellis Love, Michael Ashton Love, Ryleigh Downey Smith Grady; great-grandson, Conner Cushman Love; step-children, Lyn C. Kunda of Barnegat, NJ, William M. Martin of Coatesville; and step-grandson, Carl Kunda.
Interment will be at Oaklands Cemetery in West Chester. His viewing will be held from 5:00-8:00pm with a Masonic Service at 7:00pm Friday, March 14, 2014 and from 9:30-11:00am Saturday, March 15, 2014 at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, Mr. Smith has requested that contributions be sent to:
Camilla Hall Nursing Home
c/o Mission Advancement,
P.O. Box 200,
Immaculata, PA 19345.
The Sisters of the Immaculate Heart of Mary have always had a special place in the hearts of our family and we are truly blessed for their love, support and prayers over many generations.
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