Obituary for Daniel "Ashley" Wallace
Daniel Wallace Ashley, son of Michael and Lee Ashley, died peacefully at home on February 26, 2021 at the age of 83. Born on May 15, 1937 in Brooklyn, NY, Dan was above all a devoted husband to Roslyn Ashley, who passed almost two years ago, and to whom he was married for 56 years, as well as a devoted father, to Mark and Hannah, and grandfather, and extended family member and community member.
Daniel was accepted to the prestigious Brooklyn Tech High School, and eventually was the first person in his family to get a high school diploma, let alone a master’s degree. After serving in the Navy and learning to be an electrical engineer there, he supported his family by working at IBM as a computer programmer for decades.
Dan was a chef, a poker player, an avid reader of everything but especially science fiction, a feminist, and a political debater. He liked to vacation and go to New York to visit family, see plays and eat good deli. But he will be remembered perhaps most of all for his roles in community theater, which included shows with County Players, Community Children’s Theater, the Center for Performing Arts in Rhinebeck, and more. He was happiest when he was in a musical, and these included Brigadoon, Oklahoma, Carousel, The King and I, Mary Poppins, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Fantastics, Fiddler on the Roof, and many others. He infamously played Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls. He would often quote Konstantin Stanislavski: “There are no small parts, only small actors.”
Daniel is survived by his children and their families, Mark and Hannah, Traci, Jim, Ellie, Devon, Joshua, Brandon, Cory, Mayana, Sophie, Maxwell, and River; as well as his extended family, Annette, Fred, Elise, Glen, Ian, Gavin, Diane, Sarr, Michael, Andy, Charlotte, Ruth, Jeanne, Carol Anne, and many more. Daniel and Roz had many friends throughout their lives, and for Dan that included Roz’s close circle of women friends, as well as his friends at the Harding Club and in theater.
A private service was held on February 28, 2021. Arrangements are under the direction of the Wm. G. Miller & Son FH, Inc. If you wish to send an online condolence please visit our website at www.wmgmillerfuneralhome.com In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation made in Dan’s name to County Players Theater at https://countyplayers.org/cps-returning-home-campaign/ or to the American Cancer Society at https://www.cancer.org/involved/donate.html.
Daniel was accepted to the prestigious Brooklyn Tech High School, and eventually was the first person in his family to get a high school diploma, let alone a master’s degree. After serving in the Navy and learning to be an electrical engineer there, he supported his family by working at IBM as a computer programmer for decades.
Dan was a chef, a poker player, an avid reader of everything but especially science fiction, a feminist, and a political debater. He liked to vacation and go to New York to visit family, see plays and eat good deli. But he will be remembered perhaps most of all for his roles in community theater, which included shows with County Players, Community Children’s Theater, the Center for Performing Arts in Rhinebeck, and more. He was happiest when he was in a musical, and these included Brigadoon, Oklahoma, Carousel, The King and I, Mary Poppins, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, The Fantastics, Fiddler on the Roof, and many others. He infamously played Nathan Detroit in Guys and Dolls. He would often quote Konstantin Stanislavski: “There are no small parts, only small actors.”
Daniel is survived by his children and their families, Mark and Hannah, Traci, Jim, Ellie, Devon, Joshua, Brandon, Cory, Mayana, Sophie, Maxwell, and River; as well as his extended family, Annette, Fred, Elise, Glen, Ian, Gavin, Diane, Sarr, Michael, Andy, Charlotte, Ruth, Jeanne, Carol Anne, and many more. Daniel and Roz had many friends throughout their lives, and for Dan that included Roz’s close circle of women friends, as well as his friends at the Harding Club and in theater.
A private service was held on February 28, 2021. Arrangements are under the direction of the Wm. G. Miller & Son FH, Inc. If you wish to send an online condolence please visit our website at www.wmgmillerfuneralhome.com In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation made in Dan’s name to County Players Theater at https://countyplayers.org/cps-returning-home-campaign/ or to the American Cancer Society at https://www.cancer.org/involved/donate.html.