Colonel James R. Ashford
July 13, 1923 - April 9, 2014
Colonel James R. Ashford, 90, of Independence, died peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family, on April 9.
He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on July 13, 1923 to Huron and Lillian Ashford, the second of three boys.
Jim grew up in Honolulu and graduated from Punahou High School in 1941.
In World War II, he served as a fighter pilot in the Ninth Air Force in Europe. He attained the rank of Captain and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and several Air Medals for his service. He was a member of the Hawaii Air National Guard and a jet pilot for 26 years. Jim retired as a Colonel and the Commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard in 1978.
Jim has been an active volunteer; in the jointly sponsored AARP/IRS Tax Counseling Program at the Monmouth Senior Center; the Evergreen Air Museum in McMinnville; and at the Bishop Museum Planetarium in Hawaii.
Jim met Anne Landon, a Navy Wave, during the war and they married on January 5, 1946. They raised three daughters and spent much of their leisure time deep sea fishing in Hawaii.
After Anne's death in 2003, Jim moved to Independence to pursue his passion in flying and he built three experimental airplanes. He enjoyed rich friendships and the comraderie of living in an airpark.
July 13, 1923 - April 9, 2014
Colonel James R. Ashford, 90, of Independence, died peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family, on April 9.
He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on July 13, 1923 to Huron and Lillian Ashford, the second of three boys.
Jim grew up in Honolulu and graduated from Punahou High School in 1941.
In World War II, he served as a fighter pilot in the Ninth Air Force in Europe. He attained the rank of Captain and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and several Air Medals for his service. He was a member of the Hawaii Air National Guard and a jet pilot for 26 years. Jim retired as a Colonel and the Commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard in 1978.
Jim has been an active volunteer; in the jointly sponsored AARP/IRS Tax Counseling Program at the Monmouth Senior Center; the Evergreen Air Museum in McMinnville; and at the Bishop Museum Planetarium in Hawaii.
Jim met Anne Landon, a Navy Wave, during the war and they married on January 5, 1946. They raised three daughters and spent much of their leisure time deep sea fishing in Hawaii.
After Anne's death in 2003, Jim moved to Independence to pursue his passion in flying and he built three experimental airplanes. He enjoyed rich friendships and the comraderie of living in an airpark.
Colonel James R. Ashford
July 13, 1923 - April 9, 2014
Colonel James R. Ashford, 90, of Independence, died peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family, on April 9.
He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on July 13, 1923 to Huron and Lillian Ashford, the second of three boys.
Jim grew up in Honolulu and graduated from Punahou High School in 1941.
In World War II, he served as a fighter pilot in the Ninth Air Force in Europe. He attained the rank of Captain and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and several Air Medals for his service. He was a member of the Hawaii Air National Guard and a jet pilot for 26 years. Jim retired as a Colonel and the Commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard in 1978.
Jim has been an active volunteer; in the jointly sponsored AARP/IRS Tax Counseling Program at the Monmouth Senior Center; the Evergreen Air Museum in McMinnville; and at the Bishop Museum Planetarium in Hawaii.
Jim met Anne Landon, a Navy Wave, during the war and they married on January 5, 1946. They raised three daughters and spent much of their leisure time deep sea fishing in Hawaii.
After Anne's death in 2003, Jim moved to Independence to pursue his passion in flying and he built three experimental airplanes. He enjoyed rich friendships and the comraderie of living in an airpark.
July 13, 1923 - April 9, 2014
Colonel James R. Ashford, 90, of Independence, died peacefully at home, surrounded by his loving family, on April 9.
He was born in Honolulu, Hawaii on July 13, 1923 to Huron and Lillian Ashford, the second of three boys.
Jim grew up in Honolulu and graduated from Punahou High School in 1941.
In World War II, he served as a fighter pilot in the Ninth Air Force in Europe. He attained the rank of Captain and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and several Air Medals for his service. He was a member of the Hawaii Air National Guard and a jet pilot for 26 years. Jim retired as a Colonel and the Commander of the Hawaii Air National Guard in 1978.
Jim has been an active volunteer; in the jointly sponsored AARP/IRS Tax Counseling Program at the Monmouth Senior Center; the Evergreen Air Museum in McMinnville; and at the Bishop Museum Planetarium in Hawaii.
Jim met Anne Landon, a Navy Wave, during the war and they married on January 5, 1946. They raised three daughters and spent much of their leisure time deep sea fishing in Hawaii.
After Anne's death in 2003, Jim moved to Independence to pursue his passion in flying and he built three experimental airplanes. He enjoyed rich friendships and the comraderie of living in an airpark.
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