HARRISVILLE, NY — Vaughn F. Ashlaw, 90, formerly of Harrisville and Lake Bonaparte, N.Y., with family at his side, passed away Monday, April 8, 2019 at Riverside Rehabilitation & Nursing Center in Castleton N.Y.
Born in Hopkinton, N.Y., the youngest child of Joseph Ashlaw and Alphozin Gokey Ashlaw, he attended schools in St. Regis Falls.
A marriage to Betty Clement on Oct. 11, 1947, eventually ended in divorce. He later married Marion Stevens on June 21, 1978.
He served in the United States Navy Reserve from 1951 to 1954 traveling to many foreign countries.
He worked at the St. Regis Paper Company in Deferiet, N.Y., in the Super Calendar Department for many years, eventually becoming supervisor. After retirement from St. Regis, he worked for several more years as a caretaker at Harris Courts in Harrisville, N.Y.
He bought property on the North Shore of Lake Bonaparte in the early 1960s and built a summer cottage. Every summer spent there involved improvements and the addition of docks, boat houses, ski jumps, decks, garage and a workshop and soon became his permanent residence.
Mr. Ashlaws’ love of Harley Davidson motorcycles actually led him to racing them in his early years and he remained riding into his 80’s. He enjoyed water skiing and dare devil ski jumping. He loved snowmobiling and was an avid hunter and fisherman all of his life and was proficient with bow and arrow as well as various firearms.
He was predeceased in death by his parents, two brothers, Wilfrid and Vernon, and two sisters, Edna Jones and Rosella Lewis.
He leaves behind his wife, Marion (Carthage), two daughters, Roxanne O’Connor (Carthage) and Kim and George Rafferty (Troy), three stepchildren, Randy Stevens (Great Bend), Roy Stevens (Texas) and Lisa Collier (Georgia); six grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, five great- great-grandchildren, and several nephews and nieces.
In accordance with his wishes, he donated his body to science for medical research into vascular diseases.
A celebration of life service will be held 1 p.m. Saturday July 13, 2019, at The United Methodist Church in Harrisville, with a small luncheon to follow.
Condolences may be made online at www.lundyfuneralhome.com.
