Jimmy Ashley

Jimmy Ray Ashley, age 60 years formerly of Niles, Michigan, brother, uncle, step-father, and friend died unexpectedly on Monday, October 25, 2021 of natural causes in his current hometown of Paw Paw, Michigan.

He was born on February 10, 1961 in Niles to Elmer N. and Lenora M. (Forkum) Ashley, and was graduated from Brandywine High School.  He also took some courses at Southwestern Michigan College.  He was a truck driver for his entire career, covering local deliveries as well as regional and over-the-road transport for Modineer in Niles and CSI Logistics in South Bend, Indiana.

Jimmy enjoyed fishing at area lakes, and camping – often in Wisconsin, but also at the Yankee Springs State Park near Middleville, Michigan.  He was well-known for his skills at the grill, especially  when grilling steak or chicken.  He had a great sense of humor and loved to share jokes and tell stories, the longer the story the better the ending.  If Jimmy got quiet, you knew that he was organizing a story in his head, making sure to include every detail, in their proper order, with just the right pauses, so that the punchline was unexpected – and funny.

He was formerly married to Janette Jewell Brady, who has remained a friend.  He was preceded in death by his parents, and by his brothers, Tillman Ashley in 1985 and Donald Ashley in 2008.

Surviving family includes his sister, Linda Ashley of Mishawaka, Indiana; a niece, Amanda Bright and nephew, Shawn Ashley, and many great nieces and nephews; step-daughters, Janet Bankston of Buchanan, Michigan and Shanna Bankston of Maiden, North Carolina, and their children, Renea Kauffman, Jonathan Bankston, Destiny Barnett, and Lilyana Liska.

The family of Jimmy Ashley has gathered privately to share memories and to honor his life, likely including a re-telling some of those long stories.  Contributions in memory of Jimmy may be made to the American Cancer Society because so many of his family have suffered from various cancers, Post Office Box 10069, Detroit, Michigan, 48210; https://www.cancer.org/about-us/local/michigan.html .

Arrangements were made at the Halbritter-Wickens Funeral Home, 615 East Main Street in Niles.  Online condolences may be left at:

www.halbritterwickens.com

While Jimmy liked the solitude of trucking and fishing, he enjoyed even more sitting around the campfire or standing at the grill with friends and family with whom he could share stories  .  .  .  and life.