Lt. Colonel (Ret. USAF), James Walter Ashmore, Jr. (J.W. or Jay), 96 years of age, father, grandfather, great grandfather, retired Paris Junior College instructor, pilot extraordinaire, Presbyterian Church elder, Mason, Shriner, artist, chef, mechanical engineer, world traveler and storyteller, died January 14, 2020, in Sherman, Texas.
The family will receive friends from 6:00—8:00 o’clock p.m. on Sunday, January 19, 2020, at Fry Gibbs Funeral Home in Paris, Texas; and a graveside service is scheduled for Monday, January 20, 2020, at 11:00 o’clock a.m. at Evergreen Cemetery’s open air chapel in Paris, Texas under the direction of Fry Gibbs.
Jay was born in Collin County, Texas, on December 12, 1923, to Walter and Mary Mathis Ashmore. Growing up during the Great Depression, the family lived in various places in Texas including Westminster, Caddo Lake, Sherman, Blossom and Paris. Jay loved to tell stories about Caddo Lake and acting as a fishing guide in the 1930’s at the ages of 10-12, sometimes with his brothers, Nolan and Jack, in tow.
Jay attended Paris High School 1939-1942 where he met Mafalda Holland, daughter of David and Hattie Perry Holland, beginning a love affair lasting over 55 years. He loved to tell stories of playing football for Coach Raymond Berry and about his PHS friends and teachers including Martha Lucy Hankins.
Mafalda and Jay were married on July 26, 1944, in Gulfport, Mississippi, as Jay was preparing to serve in the Pacific in World War II. He flew in the 3rd Emergency Rescue Squadron pulling sailors and downed pilots out of the ocean.
After the war, Jay attended Paris Junior College (PJC) and then earned his B.A. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Alabama. Returning home to Paris to work as a mechanical engineer, he was recalled to the Korean War where he flew F-86 fighters with the 12th Fighter/Bomber Squadron.
He remained in the USAF where among many duty stations, he was a fighter pilot instructor at Bryan, TX; Commander of the ROTC at the University of Mississippi where he also earned his MBA; Perrin Field in Sherman; Torrejón Air Base in Madrid, Spain; and Commander of the ROTC at Butler University in Indianapolis.
He retired from the Air Force in 1969, moving to Paris, TX, where he was the head of the Applied Science Division at PJC and taught economic and business management courses. Next to his family and flying, Jay lived to teach and loved his students, affectionately referring to them as “hockey pucks.” He retired from PJC in 1984 and was later inducted into the PJC Wall of Honor. He was a firm believer in the junior college system and always held his co-workers and friends at PJC in the highest regard.
Mafalda and Jay continued to travel all over the U.S. and Europe until 1997 when Mafalda succumbed to cancer. She was the love of his life and together they had 2 sons, David Leigh Ashmore, 69, and Jay Kerye Ashmore, 65. After the death of Mafalda, Jay continued with his second love—flying. He and his brothers, Nolan and Jack, purchased several airplanes, and Jay continued to fly until he was 89 years old, his last cross country flight being from Houston to St. Louis.
In 2003, Jay married Margaret Lacy Lavafer, a PHS classmate, and they made their home in Spring, TX, until 2013 when they moved to Traditions Assisted Living facility in Sherman, TX. Margaret preceded Jay in death in 2017.
Jay is survived by his 2 sons and their wives, David and Janet Ashmore of Tampa, FL; and Kerye and Kelly Clark Ashmore of Sherman; 2 grandsons and their wives, Jay Kevin Ashmore and Ann of Paris and Bradley Paul Ashmore and Karley also of Paris; a former daughter-in-law, Sharon Ashmore of Paris; 2 great grandsons, William and Bennett Ashmore and 2 great granddaughters, Rebecca and Elizabeth Ashmore; his younger brother, Jack Ashmore and wife, Ruth of Paris; 2 step-grandsons, Clark Byrum of Sherman and Kyle Byrum of Addison; a step great granddaughter, Delayna Byrum of Sherman; nephews Scott Ashmore and wife Sandra of Katy; Randy Ashmore and wife Teresa of San Antonio; Jim Ashmore and wife Karen of Bonham; nieces Lous Ashmore of Paris and Margaret Ashmore of Argyle; and several great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his brother, Nolan Ashmore, of Bonham and a grandson, James Leigh Ashmore.
Jay loved his family, and Kevin and Brad and their children were the apple of his eye. He was proud that his grandsons were 3rd generation PHS Wildcats playing ball at Noyes Stadium as he and his son, Kerye, had done. He loved to take Kevin and Brad camping, fishing and flying and loved to tell his stories to them.
Jay was multi-talented, taking up painting when he retired and continuing his art for years. He was a crack shot and loved to hunt. He was well read. Active in church all his life, he served as an elder in Presbyterian churches wherever he lived and taught Sunday School for decades. He was as at-ease at the ballet in Madrid as he was building a bay window in his home. A 32nd degree Mason and Shriner, he fully supported the Shriner’s Hospital program for children.
He was the finest example of the Great Generation. The likes of him will seldom be seen again.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests you consider donations to the Mafalda Ashmore Scholarship Fund at Paris Junior College or any scholarship fund of your choice at PJC or Grayson College.
