John Thomas Ashley, 84, of Overland Park passed away on Sunday, March 1, 2020.

John was born on December 13, 1935 to Marvin Harold Ashley and Ruby Fern Ashley in Nevada, Missouri.  Following his high school graduation in 1953 he enlisted in the Coast Guard and was trained as a sonar operator. While on leave in Nevada, he met and later married Louise Phillips in a wedding that was covered by the Associated Press as John was in Hawaii and his bride was in Nevada.  This union produced a daughter, Erika, but the marriage ended in 1968.

Following his discharge from the Coast Guard, John became Vice President of Tucker Hardware in Kansas City, Kansas.

John met and later married Sharon “Shay” King in 1996.  John and Sharon continued John’s love of the sea by taking many cruises.  While his wife’s domain was the interior of the house, John’s was the yard and his flowers.  Therefore, the family makes the request to plant an annual in memory of John.  Donations can also be made to the Johnson County Young Matrons Charitable Gift Fund by accessing the JCYM website and clicking on Donations.

John is survived by his wife Sharon, daughter Erika, son-in-law Bryan, and his grandchildren Johnathan and Katherine. His beloved granddaughter Elizabeth predeceased him in 2018.

A Memorial Service for John will be held on Saturday, March 21 at 10:30 at the Johnson County Funeral Chapel and Memorial Gardens at 11200 Metcalf Ave.  There will a reception immediately following the service.