Regis J. "Ray," Ashey,85, of Lincoln, Neb., died Thursday, April 3, 2008. Born April 8, 1922, in Leominster, Mass. Activities during childhood included roller skating, Boy Scouts and photography. He served in the Civilian Conservation Corp at Bellows Falls, Vermont for 3 years prior to World War II. He served in the U.S. Army and during the war he was stationed at Camp Phillips in Salina, Kan., where he met his future wife of 62 years, Gwendolyn Post at a roller skating rink. He served in the 79th Cross of Lorraine Division and participated in the invasion of Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, and throughout France, Belgium, and Germany as a truck driver with Battery "B" 312th Field Artillery Battery. After the war, he attended Machinists Trade School. After school Ray and Gwen moved to Wichita, Kan. and worked for Murdock Machine and Engineering and Cessna Aircraft from which Ray retired. Former member of Westside Baptist Church in Wichita, Kan., Blue Lodge and 32nd degree Mason, Past Scoutmaster of Troop 726 in Wichita, Kan., where he made 2 trips to Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. He was an amateur radio operator with the call sign W.B.O.Q.N.U. Extra Class since 1967, and was a member of the Lincoln Amateur Radio Club, A.R.R.L. and Wichita Amateur Radio Club. Other memberships included American Legion Post 401, Moose Lodge and V.F.W. # 3115. Ray and Gwendolyn were past Prince and Princess, and King and Queen of the Kansas Chapter of the Polka Lovers Club of America and danced all over the United States. They were also members of the Midwestern Polka Club. They moved to Lincoln, Neb. in July 2006 and resided at Legacy Terrace. Illness forced Ray to move to Waverly Care Center in January 2007 until April 2008. Survivors: wife, Gwendolyn of Lincoln; son and daughter-in-law, Warren Ashey and his wife Peggy of Raymond, Neb.; daughter, Deborah Zenisek of Eagan, Minn.; 3 grandchildren, Austin Ashey, Jimmy Zenisek, and Paul Zenisick; 2 great grandchildren, Isabella Rose Ashey and Charlotte Mildred Ashey; brother and sister-in-law, Gerald and Jean Ashey of Leominster, Mass.; sisters and brothers-in-law, Janey and Paul Blanchette of Bennington, N.H., and Evelyn and Lauren "Batesy" Bates of Del Ray Beach, Fla.; sisters, Ada Minkkinen of Pepperell, Mass. and Phyllis Mitchell of Coeur D' Alene, Idaho; nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by his parents George and Elizabeth Ashey; 5 brothers, Johnny, Robert, James, Wilfred, and Patrick Ashey; a sister, Gloria, and 2 children in infancy.

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Joseph is buried at: Mount Hermon Cemetery, Paradise, Russell, Kansas, USA

Added: 8/7/2015 9:50:17 AM - Updated: 6/27/2017 11:00:39 AM