Lester Ashling

Lester "Bud" Ashling, age 86, of Erskine, Minnesota passed away on Thursday (February 1st) at his home in Erskine. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday (February 7th) at Grace Lutheran Church in Erskine with the Rev. Timothy Lundeen officiating. Interment will be in Concordia Lutheran Cemetery, Fertile, MN. Visitation will be held for one hour prior to the service on Wednesday at the church. Military honors will be provided by the Bailey-Throne American Legion Post #596 of Erskine. Arrangements are with the Carlin-Hoialmen Funeral Home of Erskine.Lester "Bud" Jennings Ashling was born on November 3, 1920, to John and Ida (Bennes) Ashling near Winger, Minnesota. He grew up on his family farm and went to the Hazel Hill Country School through the eighth grade, and then to McIntosh High School. Bud was baptized and confirmed at Faaberg Lutheran Church at Rindal, Minnesota.In 1942 he enlisted in the Army. Of all of his duties in the service, he was most proud of being a dog trainer on Cat Island off the coast of Louisiana, and being a transport officer, ferrying officers with his Kriscraft from large ships onto the island of Hawaii. He received his honorable discharge on January 28, 1946, and returned to Winger, working on his parents' farm. Deciding to leave Minnesota, Bud went to Cody, Wyoming, and lived with Josie (Bennes) and Shannon Armstrong. He traveled back to Minnesota and married Ardis Highland in 1949. Bud and Ardis established their home in Cody, and he worked for the Oregon Basin Mining Company in the oil drilling fields. He was a member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Cody. Linda Joy was born on January 22, 1950, and Robert John was born on June 17, 1953. Bud opened a hamburger drive-in, the first in the state of Wyoming. After 16 years, he sold the drive-in in 1965 and they moved to California, where he worked in an aerospace and plane company. After several years they returned to Cody where Bud managed several supper clubs and, also, played country music with Ardis. He was a bass player, and she was a guitar player and singer. Some of their highlights were playing music with Roy Rogers, Charlie Pride, Ray Price, and other entertainers who visited Cody. Ardis died in 1974, and after her death, Bud pursued his dream of being a gold miner in Apache Junction, Arizona, with Sandy Sanstead. But when the gold didn't pan out, he went to Seattle and, because of his heating and refrigeration skills, got a job at the Space Needle. He returned to Minnesota in the late 1980s, where he lived the rest of his life in Erskine. Bud was known for his woodworking; he made picnic tables for parks and decorative clocks for his friends. He was a member of the Bailey-Throne American Legion Post #596 of Erskine.Bud had a colorful life, full of adventure. He loved being with his many friends, telling jokes, being in the outdoors, hunting and fishing. He was an excellent cook, and an accomplished musician.Survivors include a daughter, Linda (Bill) French of Los Lunas, NM; a son, Robert Ashling of Tijeras, NM; a granddaughter, Sarah Joy Ashling, of Albuquerque, NM; brother and sisters, Walter Ashling of Erskine; Hazel Nelson and Bernice (Ray) Sannes of Fertile; several nieces, nephews, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his wife, Ardis; his parents, John and Ida; brother-in-law, Conrad Nelson; and sister-in-law, Betty Ashling.