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Aug. 7, 1950 – Jan. 22, 2021

Harold J. Ashley, 70, of Crosby, Mississippi passed away on January 22, 2021 at Merit Health-Wesley in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He was born on August 7, 1950 at Field Memorial Hospital in Centreville, Mississippi, the son of the late Kennon Ashley and Mary Louise Hazlip Ashley.

He attended Crosby School and Wilkinson County High School. He began working at the age seventeen at Georgia Pacific. He moved from Georgia Pacific to contract construction and finally to Pierce Construction and Maintenance, Inc. in Petal, Mississippi, where he worked for over forty-five years until his retirement in 2015. He was a member of Perrytown Church of Christ.

He was preceded in death by his parents Kennon Ashley and Mary Louise Hazlip Ashley, his maternal grandparents John R. “Jack” Hazlip and Bertie Sturdivant Hazlip and his paternal grandparents Hiram J. “Bob” Ashley and Mary Juanita “Nita” Wisner Ashley.

Harold is survived by two children Shannon Ashley (Rachel) of Crosby and Casey Ashley Baxter (Brian) of Jacksonville, Alabama. Three grandchildren Joshua Arnold (Whitney), Kayla Arnold, and Logan Arnold. One great grandchild Noah Arnold. One sister Mary Kathryn Ashley Johnson (Pete), one niece Ashley Johnson and one nephew Thomas Johnson (Amanda) and a host of cousins, family and friends.

Pallbearers will be Joshua Arnold, Logan Arnold, Thomas Johnson, Brian Baxter, Rob Murray, Charles Cavin, Randy Curtis, Dave Carter.

Honorary Pallbearers will be Pete Johnson, James Johnson, Bobby Johnson, Wayne Johnson, Guy Wimberly, Mike Perry, Wayne Ashley, Tim Ashley, Frank Mullins, Keith (Buzz) Smith, Dr. David McGraw and the men of Pierce Construction and Maintenance, Inc.

A memorial service was held January 24, 2021 at 2 p.m. at Perrytown Church of Christ. Visitation began at 1 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Jude Children’s Hospital.