The Reverend Ronald Ashworth

PERU – Rev. Ronald Ashworth, 74, died Wednesday, October 27, 2010 at his residence in Peru. Born in New Bedford, MA on May 29, 1936, he was a son of the late John E. and Dorothy (Vinal) Ashworth. He was a graduate of New Bedford High School and he also attended Bangor Theological Seminary. He was ordained as a minister on November 28, 1999.

Rev. Ashworth was the youth director and then executive director at the Bath YMCA from 1960 to 1968; he was the executive director at the Rumford Community Center from 1968 to 1977; from 1977 to 1979 he was the executive director at the Salem County YMCA and from 1979 to 1981 he was the executive director at the Camden YMCA. At each of these places he also ran the gymnastics program.

From 1981 to 1999 Reverend Ashworth was the Pastor of the Mexico Congregational Church in Mexico; from 1999 to 2001 he was the Pastor of the Lovell United Church of Christ; from 2001 to 2005 he was the Pastor of the Weld Congregational Church; in 2005 he served as Pastor at Rangeley Congregational Church for five months and from 2007 to 2010 he returned to serve as Pastor at the church in Lovell.

He served as Chairman of the Board for Androscoggin Home Care & Hospice, as well as Chairman of the Farrington Morton Cemetery Association. He served on the board of the Rumford Community Hospital and was also a member of Rotary, Lion’s Club of Bath, Red Cross, Maine Parks and Recreation, GRAMPS, Pilgrim Lodge where he served as Dean for 10 years, and YMCA Leadership School Staff.

He was married in New Bedford, MA on February 23, 1957 to Alice Lowe who survives of Peru. Other survivors include four daughters, Karen Miller of Cincinnati, OH, Bonnie Ashworth and partner Terry Timmerman of Sanbornton, NH, Sherry Spencer and partner Ken Glenville of Augusta, GA and Heidi Arsenault and her husband Roland of Mexico; a sister, Myra Crosby of West Paris; a brother, Richard Ashworth of New Bedford, MA, who passed away on Thursday, October 28, 2010; grandchildren, Kristopher Miller, Kayla Miller, David Spencer, Kirsten Shealy, Jacob Arsenault, Kelsey Arsenault, Casey Timmerman and Lee Timerman; a great-granddaughter, Kathryn Elizabeth Shealy and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his brother, Raymond Ashworth of Dighton, MA.

Funeral services will be held at 1 p.m. on Sunday, November 7, at the Mexico Congregational Church with Pastor John Gensel officiating. Interment will be in the Farrington Morton Cemetery, Mexico. Friends called at the Meader & Son Funeral Home, 3 Franklin St., Rumford, on Sunday, October 31. Those who desire may contribute to the Mexico Congregational Church, Main Street, Mexico, ME 04257, to Androscoggin Home Health Care & Hospice, 284 Main St. Suite 290, Wilton, ME 04292 or to Dixfield Congregational Church, Dixfield, ME 04224 in his memory. Friends are invited to sign the register book and share memories with the family at www.meaderandson.com.

The Reverend Ronald Ashworth Photo:

The Reverend Ronald Ashworth