William Edward Ash, 92, The Villages, Fla.

William Edward Ash of The Villages, Florida, passed away on October 15, 2026, at the age of 92, eight days shy of his birthday. 

Bill was born on October 23, 1933, in Crawford County, Indiana, where he grew up.

A member of the Armed forces, William served as a sergeant in the U.S. Army, stationed at Fort Wainwright in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the HQ Tactical Air Defense Artillery group during the Korean War. He received medals and commendations for Sharpshooting and Good Conduct.

He started school in a one-room schoolhouse, graduated from Huntingburg High School, and later earned a BA in Mathematics, a Master of Arts in Teaching, and a Ph.D. from Purdue University. He was a Shell Merit Fellow at Cornell University and continued his education at Butler University, Florida State University and several others. 

He was an early adopter and pioneer of computer science in education and taught junior and senior high school in Greencastle, Indiana, before becoming a college professor of Mathematics and Physics at Hanover College, Purdue University, Ball State University, Culver-Stockton College, Richmond CC, and Elgin CC. He was an academic administrator at Ball State at Grissom Air Force Base, Culver-Stockton, Richland and Elgin before becoming Academic Vice-President for Academic Affairs at the State University of New York Agricultural and Technical College at Alfred University in Alfred, NY. 

Early in life, he worked in factories and construction and pitched in the St. Louis Cardinals farm system. He performed in theatre productions and was a member of The Villages Off Broadway Theater Group. He was an avid reader and writer, having been published in professional mathematics publications and for his poetry.

Bill loved golf and played most of his adult life. He was proud to have shot his age 401 times before hanging up his clubs at 91 years young.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Lois and Lloyd Ash and his sister, Carolyn Ash Bartlet, by one week. 

He is survived by sons, Kevin (Laurel) and Jeffery (Erin) Ash; grandchildren, Logan (Natalie), Madeleine, Hannah, Blake, Kameron, and Kianna Ash, Austin (Zoe), Anna, and Evan Ruff; sister Dorothy Ash Survant, brother Joe (Jean) Ash, and sister Sue (David) McKain.

The funeral will take place at New Albany National Cemetery, 1943 Ekin Avenue, New Albany, Indiana 47150, at 1:30 p.m. on October 29th.