Bobby Cornelius Ashley

Bobby Cornelius Ashley was born May 1, 1937 in Kansas City, Missouri to Shelby Cornelius Ashley and Alma (Lyles) Ashley. He was the second of their two sons.

When Bobby was six weeks old, the family moved to Ogden, Utah. Bobby spent his childhood and adolescent years in Kansas City, Missouri, Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Ogden. He graduated from Ogden High School in 1955. Upon his graduation, he packed his 1947 Buick and moved to Long Beach, California where he attended Long Beach City College and worked for Douglas Aircraft. In 1957 he married Iva Jo Hayes and to this union three children were born. Bobby and Iva Jo were later divorced.

Bobby worked as a loan and grant officer for the Housing and Urban Development Agency in Ogden, Utah. It was there he met and began to court Evelena L. Hawkins Thompson and her two children. In 1976 Bobby wed Evelena, and adopted her two children; to their union one child was born.
Bobby was raised in church as a Seventh Day Adventist. After marrying Evelena, he began attending Second Baptist Church, in Ogden with his family. It was there his heart for God began to grow. He went from being a pew member, to a member of the Laymen, to being an ordained deacon, and finally to accepting his call to the ministry and being ordained.

During his ministry Bobby attended classes at several seminaries and schools of theology. His ministry was nurtured while he served as an assistant minister at True Vine Baptist Church and then as an associate minister at Calvary Baptist Church in Salt Lake City, Utah. In 1993 Bobby accepted the call to be the full-time pastor at St. Paul Baptist Church in Boise, Idaho. As pastor of St. Paul, Bobby's ministry continued to grow. He was blessed to serve as the chaplain for the Idaho State Senate and to write a weekly article for the Idaho Statesmen.

In 2004, Bobby and Evelena moved to Rock Springs, Wyoming after Bobby was called as the pastor to New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. He served there faithfully for three years prior to moving to Idabel, Oklahoma in 2007. In Idabel, Bobby served as a Chaplain for Tri-County Hospice and was a member of First Baptist Church. He was also a columnist for both the McCurtain County Gazette and the Southeast Times newspapers.

Bobby was preceded in death by his parents and brother, Conrad Ottawa Ashley. He is survived by his loving wife Evelena Lady Ashley, and their six children: Gary Lamon (Tucson, AZ), DeCarla (Colorado Springs, CO), Shelby Joann (Tucson, AZ), Gary DeWayne, (Ogden, UT), Sonia A. (Curtis) Davenport, (Williamsburg, VA), and Evelyn LaVette, (Dallas, TX). A sister-in-law Sadie Ashley (Hagerstown, MD), a host of grandchildren, great-grand children, nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

A visitation is set for Friday, May 5th, 6-8 PM at First Baptist Church, 2 S E Jefferson, Idabel. Remarks will begin at 6:30 PM.

Bobby's Celebration of Life service is set for 1:00 PM Saturday, May 6, 2017 at First Baptist Church 2 S E Jefferson, Idabel.

Interment will follow at Williamston Cemetery.