Services for James William "Jim" Ashley, age 86, of Rentz, will be held at 2:00 PM Sunday, September 24, 2017, in the chapel of Townsend Brothers Funeral Home. Burial will follow at Rentz Cemetery. Rev. Nolon McDaniel and Rev. Jeremy Ikner will officiate. The family will receive friends from 6:00 PM until 8:00 PM Saturday at the funeral home.

Mr. Ashley, a U S. Navy veteran of the Korean War, was a member of Oakdale Baptist Church and Dexter Lodge 340 F & A M. He was a steel guitar player for various gospel groups and many events.

Mr. Ashley was preceded in death by his parents, William A. and Johnnie Davis Ashley, and brother and sister-in-law, Robert E. "Bobby" and Joan Ashley.

Survivors include his wife, Erma Jean Fountain Ashley, of Rentz; son, Steve Ashley, of Dublin; granddaughter, Lucy (Mark) Roberts, of Dublin; great grandson, Ray Roberts, of Dublin; cousin, Mac (Patti) Ashley; niece, Linda Ashley Brown; great nephew, Lee (Tara Ryan) Brown; brother-in-law, Randall (Frances) Fountain; niece, Melody (Buddy) Coleman; and great-neice, Anna Coleman.

Lee Brown, Billy Fountain, Sammy Coley, Buddy Coleman, Randy Garnto, Darrell Garnto, H.F. Purdue, and Darron Rowe will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be M. L. Knight, D. M. Mullis, Terrry Holland, Rex Giddens, Jerry Williamson, Alan Thomas, and Dean Graham.

The family will be at the home of Steve Ashley.