Jan. 25 marked the day on which people gathered to honour the life of Wayne Ashton who passed away on Jan. 17. The firefighting communities of Espanola, Nairn Hyman, Sables-Spanish Rivers, Baldwin Township, Markstay-Warren and Greater Sudbury formed a procession from the Espanola Firehall to the Royal Canadian Legion, by way of Second Avenue, Avery Drive and Annette Street.
Also in the funeral cortege were the Ontario Provincial Police, North Shore Search & Rescue and Manitoulin Sudbury District Services Paramedics. The procession was led by the OPP, followed by fire and emergency service vehicles and the vehicles carrying Wayne’s family. Marching on foot were bag piper Graham Campbell, the honour guard and firefighters. Les Hebert, senior fire prevention officer from the Greater Sudbury Fire Department led the honour guard.
Hebert said, “It is an honour to be requested to attend.”
Ashton was a devoted family man, married to his wife Wendy for 55 years, father to Michael and Cassandra and loving grandfather to Alyssa and Ben. Stories shared by his family, friends and fellow firefighters described him as dedicated, honourable, humorous, respectful and, most of all, loved. Ashton’s pursuits of hunting, fishing and enjoyment of the outdoors were shared, as were stories of his cooking skills, especially his monthly dinners at the firehall where he served his memorable Caesar salad. Ashton was a manager for the A&P grocery store, a guard for the OPP, a private investigator as well as a process server. He wanted to serve the community and found his home with the fire department.
Assistant Chief Ashton was a dedicated volunteer firefighter for the Espanola Fire Department. He retired his position of Assistant Chief after an almost unheard of 50 years of service. At Wayne’s retirement celebration in 2022, Captain Simon Ethier from the Ontario Fire Marshal’s Office said it was his first time giving a 50-year pin. Ashton was a mentor, a fine example and trusted teacher to his firefighting team. He bravely faced many dangerous situations over the years. He helped save lives and property countless times leaving behind a legacy that will be virtually impossible to match.
The Celebration of Life at the Espanola Royal Canadian Legion had many touching moments. Every seat in the Legion was filled, and there were firefighters lining the room. Gary MacPherson, Legion president, led the tribute to Ashton.
Fire Chief Mike Pichor, called up Ashton’s comrades to speak. These included retired Fire Chief Ray Langlois, Mayor Doug Gervais, and Cpt. Jamie Ramsay. Pichor led everyone in a toast to Ashton’s memory with a “titch” of Ashton’s favourite scotch. With her children standing by her side, Wendy Ashton spoke, giving a glimpse into her husband’s life and family. He will be deeply missed by all.
To close the ceremony, Ross Patterson played ‘Amazing Grace’ on the bagpipes. Retired Lt. Larry Tessier, read the ‘Fireman’s Prayer’ and Les Hebert rang the fire bell nine times. The bells signaled the end of Assistant Chief Wayne Ashton’s firefighting duty.
“Rest easy chief, we’ll take it from here.”