Obituary of Joseph R Ashens

Joseph Ray Ashens, 99, of Coffeyville, Kansas passed away on Wednesday, November 20, 2019 at CRMC in Coffeyville. Joseph was born on February 10, 1920 to Ransom Joseph Ashens and Bess M. (Norris) Ashens in Newtonia, Missouri. He spent his early years in Marionville and Aurora, Missouri. He moved to Cherryvale, Kansas in 1929. Joseph graduated from Cherryvale High School in 1938 and furthered his education at Independence Junior College in 1941. In February of 1942 he was drafted into the United State Army where he completed basic training in Kerns, Utah. He was sent to Fresno, California prior to being sent overseas to CBI in 1944. He received his honorable discharge in January of 1946. Joseph crossed the International Date Line four different times. He was in the first major sea battle with the Japanese in 1944. "Luckily the United States won." Some of his foreign service was spent serving with British Units. When Joseph came back from the war he went to work for the airbase in Independence, Kansas from April of 1946 to October of 1947. He then worked for the Post Office as a rural mail carrier in Cherryvale, Kansas from 1947 until April of 1976 and in Thayer, Kansas from April of 1976 until his retirement on January 29, 1977. While working at the airbase he met his future wife, LaRue Grace "Sandy" Sandhagen. They were married on October 9, 1990. They spent 70 wonderful years together. They traveled to Colorado, Kimberly City, Grove, Ozark Mountain and Eureka Springs with their dog. Sandy preceded him in death on June 16, 2016. He is survived by his aunt, Hazel Ashens of Hutchinson, Kansas along with a very special group of friends. A Memorial Service celebrating Joseph's life will be at 2:00 p.m. Monday, December 2, 2019 at Restlawn Memorial Park with Chaplain Keith Springer of Harry Hynes Memorial Hospice officiating. Inurnment will take place at Restlawn Memorial Park Cemetery in Coffeyville. Following his wishes, cremation has taken place under the direction of David W. Barnes Funeral Home in Coffeyville, Kansas. Memorials are suggested to Coffeyville Friends of Animals or St. Jude Children's Hospital; contributions may be left at the funeral home or mailed to David W. Barnes Funeral Home, 306 N. Cline Road, Coffeyville, KS 67337.