Willard Rodman 'Rod' Ash

1928 - 2006

CONDON — Rod, beloved husband, father and grandfather, died Sunday, Nov. 5, 2006, two days after his 78th birthday after a brave battle with cancer. He was at home, surrounded by family.

Rod, the youngest of four, was born to Robert W. Ash and Myrtle G. (Rork) Ash in Southern California. He attended schools in Oakland, Calif., receiving his B.A. and M.A. in anthropology and teacher's credential from U.C. Berkeley (1947-1954).

He met and married June Ellen Fischer at Cal Berkeley and moved to Shasta County in 1954, where he taught for 30 years at Enterprise High School.

He was teacher, counselor, chairman of the District Social Studies Department and initiated an ecology program for the students at the high school. He was manager, vice president, and player agent of Cottonwood Youth Baseball.

While in California, Rod helped organize the Teachers Local 1320, A.F. of T., and served as the editor of the Local Five Counties Labor Council. He organized Wintu Audubon Chapter, in which he served as Conservation chairperson for many years. He was chairman of the Shasta County Democratic Committee and was county chairman of the Robert Kennedy and Hubert Humphrey campaigns.

In 1984, Rod and June retired to their log cabin in the Swan Valley in Condon, which they bought in 1969 and where they had camped with their family in the Mission Mountains since 1960. They became active in the Flathead Audubon immediately, and Rod served as president of Montana Audubon for five years. He also became an officer of the Grounded Eagle Foundation for a period of time, and served as the president of the Upper Swan Valley History Group. In 1995, Rod served as precinct chairman and ran unsuccessfully on the Democratic ticket for the State Senate.

Rod was a founding member of the Swan Citizens' Ad Hoc Committee and became president of the Swan Ecosystem Center, which occupied his work and passion to the last days of his life.

He was a true believer in bringing people together to achieve a harmonious balance in living, working, enjoying and conserving the beauty and special qualities of the Swan Valley.

Rod and June received the Flathead National Forest Danny On Award in 1993. Rod was "Conservationist of the Year" for Montana Audubon in 1999. In 2000, both Rod and June were awarded "Lifetime Achievements" with Montana Audubon and "Volunteer of the Year" from the Swan Ecosystem Center in 2003.

Rod loved his Swan Valley home, where his passions included gardening, birdwatching with June, and hiking and fishing in the Mission and Swan Ranges.

He leaves June, his wife of over 55 years, best friend, and soulmate; children Gordon and wife Susan Kemper, David, Ellen and husband Kirk Sullivan of Montana, and James and wife Erin McDonough of Andover, Mass.; grandchildren Jessica and Jennifer Ash and Galen and Elena Sullivan, also of Montana; and six nieces and nephews.

Any remembrances of Rod's extraordinary life may be sent to the Swan Ecosystem Center, 6887 Highway 83, Condon, MT 59826; or Montana Audubon, P.O. Box 595, Helena, MT 59624.