David E. Ashton

ASHTON, David E. David Edwin Ashton, 93, husband of the late Charlotte Graves Ashton, died peacefully at home on Tuesday, March 22, 2011. He was born on September 9, 1917, in Traverse City, Michigan, son of the late Seth and Marguerite Lardie Ashton. He moved to West Hartford with his family when he was eight years old, attending Morley School, Sedgwick Jr. High, and graduating from Hall High School in 1935. The inscription below his yearbook photo described him aptly as ?Dave?the soul of wit?. He aspired to be a political cartoonist and attended Columbia University in New York City as an Art major. Declared 4F due to poor vision, he enlisted in the Maritime Service in 1942 and was based at Fort Trumbull in New London. After his discharge he began what was to become a lifelong career in the insurance business, following in the footsteps of his father, who was a Vice President of the Hartford Fire Insurance Company. David worked briefly at the Aetna Insurance Company, where he met his future wife, Charlotte. In September 1958, he and three other independent insurance agents formed The Insurance Center, a unique and, at that time revolutionary, solution to cut the cost of running an agency. By 1960, six agencies had joined the Center, all representing the Aetna Insurance Company in an independent capacity. By 1970, he had added to his accomplishments President of the Hartford Association of Independent Agents, President of the Connecticut Association of Independent Insurance Agents and National Director of the National Association of Independent Insurance Agents NAIA. His gift of wit and humor, tempered by his efforts to support independent insurance agents, made him a much sought after speaker at conventions all over the world and gave him along with Charlotte, the opportunity to travel to London, Paris, Rome and Hawaii as a Featured speaker. David frequently said ? I never had a job?. The camaraderie with his office associates and the ability to help his clients were enjoyable experiences for him. In the early 1980s, he sold his agency and worked in a consulting capacity for the Kerin Agency in Newington. In 1982, he was asked to write a monthly column entitled A Point of View for the Management Letter, distributed by the Independent Insurance Agents of Connecticut. He created a well known character, Agent Mudd. E. Puddle, who depicted the ?drab, unpretentious life of the average insurance agent?. Agent Puddle and his able secretary, Miss Stake, appeared in many of Dave?s columns which explored solutions to management problems, followed by a serious diatribe of the issues that affected those times. He continued to go to the ?Office? well into his eighties. Dad was also a consummate family man, loved and adored by his wife, children and great grandchildren. He always had a sharp wit and a wry observation, and was well known for humorous exploits. A family get together was not an event until ?Gump? arrived. Family cookouts and holidays, which always included games for the adults and children, were his favorite events. He enjoyed golf, hiking the Reservoir, visiting Cape Cod, and that remarkable device, his computer. He hated growing old; his greatest challenge was in facing his declining physical condition and loss of activity during the last few years of his life. However, his sense of humor prevailed. Fortunately, he was able to stay in the home he had built for his family in 1950, with the devoted care he received from his caregiver and friend, Habib along with Eileen, Kwasi and the staff of Right At Home. He considered himself to be the luckiest man alive. He will be dearly missed by his loving daughters and son-in-law, Nancy and George Dewey of West Hartford, Sally Ashton of Blackwood, New Jersey, and Sue Ellen Larsen of Farmington. David leaves six adoring grandchildren and eleven great grandchildren. They include Seth Dewey and his wife Elizabeth Turner, Brett Harrison, wife Suzanne and their daughters Emily and Lindsay, Greg Harrison, wife Elaine, and their sons Ryan and Max, Robert Larsen, wife Amy and daughters Courtney and Elle, Elizabeth Dewey Morander, husband Eric, and son Ian and daughter Sage, and Ellen Larsen Roberts, husband Scott and children Benjamin, Charlotte and Cole. Besides his wife and parents he was predeceased by his brother and sister in law, William Bill and Barbara Ashton and their son Gary, all formerly of West Hartford. Private services and burial will be in West Hartford. Memorial donations may be made to VNA Hospice 103 Woodland Street, Hartford, CT 06105, or World Vision, C/O Westminster Presbyterian Church, 2080 Boulevard, West Hartford, CT 06107. Online remembrances may be made at www.molloyfuneralhome.com.

David E. Ashton

September 9, 1917 - March 22, 2011