Paul Major Ash

Paul Major Ash, 84, of Brownsburg passed away Thursday, September 13, 2007 at the Carmel Care Center in Carmel. Mr. Ash is the son of Cary Ash and Grace (Reed) Ash. He was born in Shelbyville on Ocotber 15, 1922. He was one of 10 children raised by Grace Ash after the untimely death of her husband. Paul was the youngest son and he could be encouraged to share memories of growing up during the Depression. In 1945, he married Lois Katherine (Orme) Ash and they were married until her death on April 10, 1999. He was the father of three children, Paul (Mick) of Carmel, Indiana: Stephen C. Ash of McAllen, Texas; and Karen (Ash Reed of Port Charlotte, Florida. There are also nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. Paul Ash was an outstanding high school teacher and college athlete earning letters in football, baseball, tennis and track from Shelbyville High School. He was the 1940 recipient of the Shelbyville Kiwanis Club Key Football Award, the highest athletic award offered. He earned 13 athletic letters at Shelbyville High School. Upon graduation from high school, Paul was recruited by Tony Hinkle, legendary Butler University coach, to play football and baseball on an athletic scholarship. While attending Butler University, Paul was again "recruited", this time by the U>S> Army. He served in the European front during WWII, seeing much action as a medic, including the Bridge at Remagan. Paul received several promotions and was discharged from the Army as a Second Lieutenant, after returning from Europe, and undergoing jungle training for service in the Pacific. Mr. Ash was a teacher and coach in Clinton County, Indiana. He began his teaching and coaching career at Sugar Creek Township. His team, the Sugar Creek Crickets, enjoyed several successful seasons in the mid 1950's before the township consolidated into the present Clinton Central Schools. Sugar Creek Township High School had only 21 students, 11 of them boys, and all but one was on the basketball team or served as manager. By today's standards, it was not a "dream team" in any sense, but they did enjoy success and even went to the sectional finals one year. It was an experience much like the movie "Hoosiers". He concluded his teaching career in MSD Wayne Township, Indianapolis, where his teams won several all-city awards. One of Mr. Ash's proudest achievements was earning a U>SL patent for an anti-choking device for persons living alone. He never sold the plans or device. Instead he insisted on giving them to anyone who was interested. After President Bush choked on a pretzel, Paul attempted to give one of the devices to the President during his 2003 visit to Indianapolis, but the Secret Service failed to appreciate the generosity of the offer and detained him for questioning. Always a supporter of the underdog in later years of his retirement, he established a prison ministry through which he assisted several inmates with self-improvement and proper representation. Mr. Ash was an avid golfer and member of BPOE Elks. He resided the past three years at the assisted living section of Carmel Care Center in Carmel, IN, where he was well-known to staff and residents as helpful and friendly. His final words to his children were "Tell everyone I said goodbye", and a few moments later added, and "stay on the sunny side of life". Services will be held at the Carmony-Ewing Chapel of Freeman Family Funeral Homes, 819 S. Harrison St., Shelbyville, IN (317)392-2555 on Tuesday September 18, 2007 at 2:00 PM followed by a brief graveside service at Forest Hill Cemetery. There will be one hour of visitation prior to the service.