Colonel Ashford’s Services
John Chun, who retired out of the engine shop, and his wife live in Salem, Oregon. They attended Colonel James Ashford’s services in Oregon. John emailed this report with photos. Mahalo to John for his work documenting this event for Retiree News.
click on photographs to enlarge
Lorraine and I attended Col. Ashford’s Celebration of Life on April 26, 2014 at his hangar in Independence, Oregon.
Just before the service started four airplanes taxied in and parked in front of the Ashford hanger. I found out later that they were participating in a Missing Man Formation fly-by.
The service started with a presentation of lei to his three daughters Carol, Anne and Joan. There was an opening prayer followed by Military Honors, a flag presentation and the playing of taps.
Colonel Ashford’s grandchildren did his eulogy. It was filled with his fun life and stories. His sailing days, building of airplanes, flying and driving stories, tax help to the elderly (AARP) and his volunteer work at the Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum in McMinnville, Oregon. I found out that he was a great backseat driver and that he has passed this trait on to his daughters.
After the service was finished all three-redhead daughters got into the airplanes with the pilots to do the fly-by.
As you can see in the photos he treasured his retirement ejection seat and his flying helmet. I believe the ejection seat is a Rex Koga (instrument shop) idea and creation. And so is the No Ka Oi decal on the seat.
Aloha, jcRelated: http://ow.ly/xGzrs
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