Richard/Ivy Ashmore

Richard and Ivy Ashmore, a true love story

Richard F. Ashmore, born August 10, 1921 in Monse Washington, and Ivy Ashmore, born October 10, 1923 on a farm in Shotesham, Norwich England, both passed away on March 9, 2018.  Their both passing away on the same day is a fitting end to a great love story that had them celebrate their 74th wedding anniversary on January 1st earlier this year.

They met during WW2 on dad’s first night in England at a USO dance.  He noticed a shy girl standing on the sidelines and went up and asked her to dance.  As everyone was doing the Jitterbug and the guys were throwing the girls across their hips, she said no. He then went and got her a glass of lemonade and said “you drink lemonade, don’t you?”  Of course she did, and that was the start.  He told one of his friends the next week that Ivy was the girl he was going to marry.  They married January 1, 1944 at the local church near where she grew up.  Their wedding night was spent in London England during German bombing raid.  A bomb fell several blocks away and cracked windows in their hotel room.  Mom was sick during the honeymoon and to show dad’s sense of humor, took her back to the farm and told her mother that she was sick and her mother could have her back. Of course, he was kidding.

After the war, mom was one of the war brides that came to the US on the Queen Mary.  There were over 1700 war brides and 600 children on that trip.  In the days before cell phones, Mom travelled across the ocean and by train across the US to Seattle hoping that dad would be there to meet her. Talk about a leap of faith.

 After the war, dad had a battle with TB that led to him changing course and he attended the University of Washington where he got a degree in Mechanical Engineering.  He accepted a job with Sandia Labs in 1955 and built a house around San Pedro and Candelaria on the outskirts of Albuquerque.  Sandia proved to be an excellent employer while dad was working and especially after he retired in 1984.  Mom and dad enjoyed travelling in their RV around western US and flying over to visit family on the farm in England.

Ivy and Richard were preceded in death by their two daughters, Julie May St Clair, wife of Bent St Clair in Lynnwood Washington, and Sue Howell, wife of Gary Howell in Flagstaff Arizona.  Both daughters passed after battling cancer in the past three years.  Mom took the loss of her two daughters very hard.

Ivy and Richard are survived by their son, Robert Ashmore and his wife Dorothy in Albuquerque, grandsons Jason Benton and his wife Gayle in Flagstaff Arizona, Samuel Ashmore and his wife Erin, in Beverly Massachusetts, granddaughters Michelle and Kalie St Clair in Lynwood Washington, and numerous great grandsons, nieces and nephews in the US and “across the pond”.  Richard is also survived by his big sister, Kathryn Coombs in California, who is stories, kept him out of trouble as he was growing up.

The family wants to express their sincere appreciation to the caring Personal Living staff at the Brookdale Valencia Senior Living facility in Albuquerque for their great care and compassion they showed mom and dad in the five years they resided in the facility.  The staff became extended family.

In lieu of flowers or other memorial contributions, the family asks that if anyone is led to give, that they do so to their favorite cancer research charity. Hopefully, some day there will be a cure! A private ceremony will be held at a later date.

Rest in Peace, Ivy and Richard Ashmore.  You will be missed.