LEBANON, NH — Douglas Mark Ashey (“Coach”) 64, died at his home on October 29th surrounded by family and an outpouring of love. Douglas was born December 15th, 1954 at Mary Hitchcock Memorial Hospital to parents Leon and Phyllis (Toulouse) Ashey. He was the middle child, fourth of seven, raised on Eldridge Street in Lebanon, NH.

Doug received his primary education at Sacred Heart School, graduating in 1969. As an attendee of Lebanon High School, Doug was a three-sport athlete – football, baseball and basketball – and received numerous accolades, including the Skip Gale Award for basketball. Doug graduated High School in 1973 and earned a business degree from Hawthorne College. After graduating he worked for the State of New Hampshire and Thermal Dynamics in West Lebanon for nearly 35 years, where he took hours that afforded him time to be with his children after school. Since a young child, he was an active member of the Sacred Heart Catholic Church, where he volunteer-cooked Thanksgiving dinners for several years. He was a proud member of the Sons of American Legion and Knights of Columbus.

Doug’s passion for athletics and a desire to see positive change in the world found focus in coaching. He began coaching baseball and basketball teams for his own children – Amy, Andrew and Patrick – and continued by coaching varsity baseball at Kearsarge and Lebanon High Schools for twenty-five years, proudly accepting the Coach of the Year award in 2010. In those years, Doug mentored countless young adults both on and off the field: his legacy is not only one of cultivating greater athletic skill and ability, but shaping young men and women into healthy, happy and fulfilled individuals, regardless of their backgrounds or circumstances. He always told his players the greatest asset you can give anyone is your time, a motto he lived by. He most recently received recognition from the NHIAA for his 25 years as a varsity level coach in New Hampshire.

While Doug loved sports deeply and made an incredible impact on his community doing so, he was an even more passionate husband, father and grandfather. Doug is survived by his wife of 42 years, Charlene (Adams) Ashey, and his three children, Amy Lahaye [Jason], Andrew Ashey [Alex Day], and Patrick Ashey [Patience]; grandchildren Nathan Lahaye, Theresa Lahaye, Hayden Ashey and Grady Ashey; as well as siblings Stephen Ashey, Gail Broughton, Nancy Nolet, Jean Sheldrick, Dave Ashey and their families, including ten nieces and nephews and their families. Doug is predeceased by his father and mother, grandparents Leon & Yvonne and William & Anne Toulouse, and his oldest sister “Baby Ashey.”

It has been said that the true measure of a man is not by what he has done, but what he has given. As a devout Catholic whose Faith guided him daily, Doug’s life was one of compassion, kindness, inspiration, fairness, and above all, charity – giving his time, attention and love with unwavering devotion to his family and community. His family is comforted by memories of a loving and supportive husband and father, as well as the deep affection that the Lebanon community has shown for Doug. As he became ill, this was reflected in hundreds of visitors, letters, text messages, emails and phone calls to the family’s long standing Churchill Way home. He received all with love and characteristic humor, and his family is grateful to all who shared their memories with them in his final days. A special thank you to his lifelong best friend Gary Tremblay, who sat by his side until the end.

In lieu of flowers or gifts, the family asks to please consider a donation to the newly attributed “Douglas M Ashey Baseball Scholarship”, (attention Gail Broughton, Ledyard National Bank, 67 S. Main Street, West Lebanon, NH 03748) to benefit students of Lebanon High School; or, the “Pat Walsh Sneaker Fund”, (℅ the CCB, P.O. Box 386, Lebanon, NH) to help fund clothing for children in need.

Family and friends are invited to Doug’s calling hours at the Ricker Funeral Home & Crematory in Lebanon on Sunday November 3rd from 1 to 4 PM. Doug’s Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at Sacred Heart Church in Lebanon on Monday November 4th at 11 AM. Burial will follow in the Sacred Heart Cemetery in Lebanon. An online guest book is available to leave Doug’s family a message of condolence by visiting www.rickerfuneralhome.com