Obituary of George W. Ashburn

George W. Ashburn passed away surrounded by his family on June 1st after battling pneumonia. He was born on Oct. 24th 1938 in Vancouver, WA to Edward and Laura Ashburn, and graduated from Olympia High School in 1956. He lived in the Tacoma area for the last 50 years, where for 40 years, until he retired in 2001, he sold John Deere tractors. He was known for his great sense of humor, and for his willingness to go out of his way to help family, friends, and neighbors. He was known as a straightforward, thoughtful communicator, with sharp wit and humorous anecdotes. He loved tractors, farming, country music, and was an avid member of the Rainier Antique Tractor Club. He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Shirley, daughter Diane (Al), sons Greg (Suzy) and Gary (Melissa), and 9 grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his granddaughter Sarah, his parents, and his brother Pete. A memorial service will be held on Thursday, June 9th, 2011 at 1:00 pm, First Presbyterian Church, 412 W. Pioneer Ave., Puyallup. Donations to American Lung Association.