Julie Ashton

CHARLTON -- Julie Payne (Chace) Ashton, 87, formerly of Southbridge and Naples, Fla., died Tuesday, Jan. 6, at the Overlook Nursing Home in Charlton after a brief illness.
 
She was pre-deceased by her husband of 59 years, William A. Ashton, who died in 1999.
 
She is survived by one daughter, Linda Ashton Black and her companion, Julian Kotekas, of Manchester, N.H.; three sons, Steven  Ashton and his wife, Janice, of Southbridge, Mark Ashton and his wife, Jean, of Southbridge, and Ted Ashton and his wife, Kathy, of Sturbridge; one sister, June Lamoureux and her husband, Wilfred, of Sturbridge; six grandchildren, Adam Black and his wife, Cheryl Sager, of Nottingham, N.H., Josh Black and his wife, Sheila Alessi, of Burlington, Conn., Scott Ashton and his wife, Debbie, of Oceanside, Cal., Rebecca Feldman and her husband, Gary, of Medway, Mass., Jarrod Ashton of Dudley, and Joel Ashton of Fiskdale; six great-grandchildren, Derek Ashton, Emma and Brynn Feldman, Sonata and Jaela Black, and Carl Sager Haney; and many nieces and nephews.
 
She was born in Worcester on March 9, 1921, the daughter of Walter C. and Dorothy (Payne) Chace. She graduated from Mary E. Wells High School as a member of the Class of 1938. She enjoyed annual reunions with her classmates and attended as recently as their 69th reunion in 2007. 
 
As a member of the First Methodist Church in Southbridge for many years, she was active in the women\'s group, the Mr. and Mrs. Club, and served as a Sunday School teacher and on several church boards and committees. She was a Cub Scout den mother as well.
 
Following her husband\'s retirement from the Boston Gas Co., the couple enjoyed traveling and camping throughout the country, eventually settling in Naples, Fla., where she was active in arts and crafts groups, winning awards for hooked rugs and other creations of her own design.
 
She returned to Massachusetts in 2001, where she was a member of the Women\'s Fellowship group of Sturbridge Federated Church and served on the annual auction committee and the Missions Board. She enjoyed having pets, especially cats, and playing word, tile, and card games with family and friends. She was an avid reader and jigsaw puzzler.
 
A memorial service will be held at 11:00AM Saturday, May 8 in the Sturbridge Federated Church, Maple St. Sturbrodge. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Sturbridge Federated Church PO BOX 193, Sturbridge, Ma. 01566, in her memory.
 
An online guestbook is available at www.BelangerFuneralHome.com

http://memorial.yourtribute.com/julieashton