John N. Ashenfelder

Reverend John N. Ashenfelder, 92, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his loving family on April 14, 2012. He was born in Philadelphia, the son of the late Edna and Josiah Ashenfelder. Upon the death of his mother, he was reared by relatives, John and Ida Brewer, in Vineland, New Jersey, where he graduated from high school. He graduated from the Bible Institute of Pennsylvania in Philadelphia, where he was president of his class during his senior year. He received his B.A. degree from Wheaton College in Illinois. From Columbia Theological Seminary in Decatur, Georgia, he received the Master of Divinity and Master of Theology degrees. He also did graduate work in theology at Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, Virginia. He was ordained by the Atlanta Presbytery in his first church, Ebenezer Presbyterian Church, in Hogansville, Georgia in 1945. John was pastor of Eastside Presbyterian Church in Gadsden, Alabama and served as president of the Ministerial Association in Gadsden. He was the assistant minister and Minister of Education of First Presbyterian Church in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He gave daily radio devotionals in both Gadsden and Baton Rouge. He spent time visiting with the lepers at the National Leprosarium in Carrville, Louisiana. John was pastor of the First Presbyterian Church in Ware Shoals, South Carolina, and helped organize the Community Services Board and the Ministerial Association there, serving as the first president of each organization. He was on the Mental Health Board and the Carolinas United Board, as well as the Board of Brewer Hospital in Greenwood, South Carolina. He came to Portsmouth, Virginia and served as pastor of Prentis Park Presbyterian Church, then associate pastor at First Presbyterian Church, and finally pastor of Cradock Presbyterian Church before retiring. He spent a year raising money for the endowment fund for Davis and Elkins College. He also supplied at Northampton Presbyterian Church in Hampton and Glenwood Park Presbyterian Church in Norfolk for a few years. John was always willing to help his fellow ministers—preaching, making hospital or home calls, conducting meetings, training officers, and officiating at weddings and funerals. During his 67 years of ministry he preached in 48 of the churches of the Presbytery of Eastern Virginia. John enjoyed sharing his wisdom through teaching as well. He taught a class at Louisiana State University and was professor of religion and philosophy at Lander College in Greenwood, South Carolina. He also taught at Frederick College in Portsmouth and Old Dominion University, as well as classes at Langley Air Force Base and Fort Eustis. John was a volunteer chaplain at Portsmouth General Hospital and in the Sentara hospice program in Norfolk. At Maryview Medical Center in Portsmouth he was a volunteer chaplain as well as coordinator of the chaplains and served in the rehabilitation center. He was a member of the Board of the Seaman's Friends' House in Newport News and the Board of Mental Health in Norfolk. As a hobby, John enjoyed building and repairing bicycles for the neighborhood children. He also liked to fish when he had the time but usually came back with a sermon instead of a fish. John is survived by his wife of 67 years, Martha; daughter, Ann English, and her husband, John, of Suffolk; daughter, Jane Ashenfelder, of Suffolk; daughter, Joy Dean, and her husband, Fred, of Portsmouth; brother, Joe Ashenfelder, and his wife, Virginia, of Lancaster, PA; niece, Susan Lambert, of Ephrata, PA; nephew, Howard Withington, and his wife, Alice, of Philadelphia, PA; nephew, David Ashenfelder, and his wife, Keri, and their children, of Mount Joy, PA. He was predeceased by his granddaughter, Jill Watson, and his sister, Myrle Withington. A funeral service will be held on Thursday at 2 p.m. in Loving Funeral Home, 3225 Academy Avenue, Portsmouth, VA, with Dr. James Young officiating. The family will receive friends following the service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association for Research, 6350 Center Drive, Suite 102, Norfolk, VA 23502 or online at www.alz.org/join_the_cause_donate.asp.