Erik Eugene Ash, beloved husband to Christina Ash and doting father to 8-year-old Juniper, passed away July 16, 2022. He was 46.
He was born June 17, 1976, in Salem, Oregon, to Cliff and Sue Ash. He grew up and lived in several cities, including Pendleton, Roseburg and Eugene before settling in Canby.
Erik was a loving, compassionate and kind person to all who knew him. He was ever-present in the moment and quick to laugh. His sense of humor was pervasive and his zest for life unforgettable.
Erik’s love of learning was evident in all that he did. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in art history from Portland State University, and two master’s degrees from the University of Oregon in architecture and landscape architecture.
He always researched the right way to complete a project and was meticulous in executing each task he set out to accomplish. He believed in education and instilled that in his daughter, always taking the time to teach her anything she wanted to learn (and then some).
Erik had lots of different jobs over the years. As a teen, he bucked hay, and in college, he worked as a graduate teaching fellow and delivered bread to make ends meet. After graduation, he designed many lots and gardens before helping build a family-owned catering company with his wife and in-laws.
He loved to be outside and was an avid gardener, even learning the Latin names of most plants. He enjoyed spending his mornings drinking coffee and contemplating life while tending the garden and pruning his vast collection of bonsai trees. Many an abandoned coffee mug could be found in his garden, a trait he inherited from his loving mother, Susan Ash.
He loved to hike, camp, fish, swim, backpack and enjoy the country in which he lived. Erik and Christina fell in love going on road trips all over the United States, a tradition they had planned to continue into old age.
But his biggest passion in life was his family. He was a devoted husband, father, brother and son. Family was the most important factor in every decision he made, including where he chose to live and work. Erik and Christina chose to settle and in and build their family in Canby to be close to his amazing and supportive parents.
Erik is survived by his wife, Christina, and daughter, Juniper; parents Cliff and Sue Ash; sisters Lisa and Katie Ash and brother Nick Ash; brother-in-law Travis Baker; sisters-in-law Kimberly Casey and Dipa Ash; parents-in-law Ed and Cheryl Casey, Laura Casey and Mark Wood; and many nieces and nephews.
He was greatly loved and will be dearly missed.
The Funeral Mass will be held at 11 a.m. Friday, August 5, preceded by the Rosary at 10:30 a.m., at St. Patrick Catholic Church, 498 NW 9th Avenue in Canby. A Celebration of Life will be held at 5:30 p.m. September 8 at The World Forestry Center, 4033 SW Canyon Road in Portland.
Remembrances may be made to Scholarship America or The National Forest Foundation in honor of Erik’s passions for education and protecting our natural resources. A virtual guestbook will be available at canbymolallafuneralchapel.com.