Willard Reynolds Ashburn, Jr., 91, of Vero Beach, passed away on May 6.
He is survived by his wife Patricia Ann Ashburn; his sister Virginia Ashburn Hill; his children: Willard R. Ashburn, III, Elizabeth A. Froehling, Jeffrey W. Ashburn and Gregory B. Ashburn; grandchildren: Jessica N. Teves, Heather D. Wyatt, Alexander M. Ashburn and Francesca D. Ashburn.
Ashburn was born on Sept. 10, 1924, to Willard Reynolds Ashburn, Sr. and Elisabeth Corprew Ashburn, of Virginia Beach, Va. He attended the University of Virginia before joining the Navy, in WWII, as a fighter pilot in the Pacific. Returning from the war he began a career as a stock broker and financial planner.
Among his lifetime passions were competitive horseback riding (where he once held a Virginia state record in the equestrian jumper division), afternoon card games with friends at The Princess Anne Country Club, bird shooting with his sons and nephews and tennis, which he not only enjoyed as a player but as the organizer of many, many years of weekly round-robin play. He considered these events as among the best times of his life, made so by the wonderful people of his tennis community.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests a donation to The Visiting Nurse and Hospice Foundation, 1110 35th Lane, Vero Beach, FL 32960 or the Humane Society of Vero Beach, P.O. Box 644, Vero Beach, FL 32961 in memory of Willard Reynolds Ashburn, Jr.
Funeral services will be private. Burial at John’s Island Cemetery, Vero Beach. An online guestbook is available at www.strunkfuneralhome.com.
