Obituaries

Shirley Adams Ashton, 90 passed away peacefully at her home in Seaside Heights, NJ. She was preceded in death by her husband of more than 70 years, Fred Long Ashton, Jr. who died in 2013. Shirley was born to the late Richard Adams and his then wife, Anna (nee Iliff) Adams.  She led an adventurous childhood and fondly recalled her mother sending her for kerosene oil, alone in a boat to cross the Delaware River in Sandts Eddy, PA. She later attended nursing school and met the love of her life, Fred while on a double date in high school. Fred enrolled in the Army, returned to the US  on break and married Shirley on Christmas Day 1952. Fred, III was born in Germany while the newlyweds were stationed abroad.

The wife of a funeral director, and later mayor of Easton, Shirley took an active interest in both her church and her community. She gave back in so many ways, from helping the less fortunate to teaching young girls how to sew their own clothes. In the mid-1970’s she relocated with Fred and the 5 children to the Jersey Shore, where the family started fresh. Eventually, Fred ran a casket business and Shirley started a successful career in Real Estate. The “Real Estate Lady” as so many knew her, finally retired from the real estate after 40 years in the business and hundreds of sold properties and satisfied customers.

Always happy, willing to help, kind and generous, she will be missed and remembered by many in addition to her family. Like Fred, she never met a stranger, only friends who she would bring into her joyous orbit. Special among those friends is Susana, her caregiver, who stayed by her side through her many recent health challenges. The family is especially grateful to Susana, who stood in for us in those final days. She made Shirley comfortable up to the very end.

Shirley took great pleasure in her life, in her love for her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, and she will be joyfully reunited with her love, Fred, in heaven. She will be missed but not forgotten

Shirley is survived by her 5 children: Fred Long Ashton, III and his wife Margaret, of Windham, CT and their 3 children, Jacqueline, Jessica and Julie; Susan Ashton Thistle, of Punta Gorda, FL and her 2 children, Kristin and Harold E. Thistle, IV; Carol Ashton Keefe and the late Harry V. Keefe, III of Basking Ridge, NJ and their 3 children, Ashton Colleen, Kellie Jean and Heather; Richard Adams Ashton of Seaside Heights, NJ and his 3 children, Michael, William and Elizabeth; Thomas Melick Ashton and his wife Kathleen of Wayne, Il and their 3 children, Mary Jean, Anna Adams and Thomas Melick Ashton, Jr. Her 14 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren all affectionately knew her as Mimi.

Services will be held 11:30 AM Thursday, October 23, 2025 in the Ashton Funeral Home, 1337 Northampton St., Easton, PA with a calling period from 10:30 to 11:30 AM. Interment is in Easton Cemetery.  Memorials may be made St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at www.stjude.org. Offer online condolences at www.AshtonFuneralHome.com.