Roy Otis Ashley

Roy Otis Ashley
 
Roy Otis Ashley, age 73, of White Plains and Dunwoody, GA, passed away surrounded by his family on Saturday, June 20, 2015 at St. Mary’s Hospital in Athens, GA. He was born on October 28, 1941, in Sandersville, GA, to the late Roy Ashley and Otelia Brookins Ashley. He married Toine Jones on August 20, 1964, and they lived in Dunwoody, Georgia, but also had a farm in White Plains where Roy loved to spend time.
 
Roy graduated from Greensboro High School in 1959 and received a Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from the University of Georgia. He attended Georgia Military Academy. He was the founder of Roy Ashley & Associates, Inc. and was the firm’s design visionary and president from 1974 until 2008.  A successor company called RAA Design, LLC was created in January of 2009 with Mr. Ashley serving as Principal.  
 
Roy was a great friend to many and a leader in his profession for over 50 years. He taught many professionals during his career and his methods will live on. His design vision is clear in and around the Southeast with projects including the Atlanta Airport, the 1996 Olympic Games, developments at Disney World, the U.S. Botanic Garden rose garden and many iconic office, hotel and retail  developments throughout the region.
 
He won numerous professional awards during his career and was a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects, which is that organization’s highest honor. He was a master at taking nature and sculpting it into a beautiful environment that people appreciated. He had a special vision for the land and could immediately see how flowers, plants, trees, rocks and other hardscape elements could come together to create a veritable symphony of texture and form.
 
Roy was a member of White Plains Baptist Church.  He was very proud of his collection of farm machinery and he particularly loved Allis Chalmers tractors. One of his favorite sayings was “I am a tractor man”.
 
He is survived by his wife of fifty years, Toine Ashley of Dunwoody, GA; three sons Kenneth Roy Ashley, his wife, Karen, and their children, Jonathan Bryce Ashley, Noah Walker Ashley, Meghan Elizabeth Ashley and Anna Grace Ashley of Dunwoody, GA, Michael Troy Ashley, his wife, Stephanie, and their daughter, Stella Emerson Ashley of Olathe, KS, and Walker Scott Ashley, his wife, Sharon, and their children, Chase Scott Ashley and Skyler Lynn Ashley of DeKalb, IL; other relatives and many, many friends.  He was preceded in death by a sister, Elizabeth “Betty” Ashley in April of 1943 at the age of three.
 
A Funeral Service will be held at White Plains Baptist Church, 1020 Main Street East, White Plains, GA 30678 at 11:00 a.m. on Wednesday, June 24, 2015 with Rev. Craig Foster officiating.  Serving as pallbearers are Ray Moses, Steve Roberts, Wayne Corry, William Coleman, Frank Moore and Russell Wall.  Interment will follow at the Ashley Family Cemetery in White Plains.  Following the service there will be a reception and visitation at Roy’s farm.  A Memorial Service will be held at Alpharetta First United Methodist Church, 69 N. Main Street, Alpharetta, GA 30009 at 11:00 a.m.  on Thursday, June 25, 2015 with Dr. Don Martin officiating.  In lieu of flowers donations may be made in Roy’s memory to the Atlanta Area Council of the Boy Scouts of America, 1800 Circle 75 Parkway SE, Atlanta, GA 30339.  McCommons Funeral Home, 109 W. Broad St., Greensboro, GA, (706) 453-2626, is in charge of arrangements. Visit us at www.mccommonsfuneralhome.com to sign the online guest register.

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