Thomas Jefferson Ashburn Jr., 78, died Nov. 4, 2008, at Sentara Obici Hospital.
Born in Nansemond County, Va., he was the son of the late Marietta H. and Thomas J. Ashburn Sr., and widower of Janet Smith Ashburn. Mr. Ashburn was a member of Western Branch Baptist Church, where he had served as a deacon. He had also served as deacon at First Baptist Church. After retiring from farming, he worked as a funeral attendant at R.W. Baker & Co. Funeral Home & Crematory.
Survivors include his daughter and son-in-law, Theresa A. and Leonard Provost; son and daughter-in-law, Robert D. and Debbie Ashburn, all of Suffolk; sister, Judith A. Massey, of Blacksburg, Va.; sister-in-law, Rita and George Stubbs, of Windsor; grandchildren, Carolyn and Mike Ferraro, of Chesterfield, Va., Jeff and Amanda Griffin, Wade Ashburn, Brian Ashburn, all of Suffolk; great-granddaughter, Ashlyn Ruth Ferraro, nieces, Angie Smith, of Suffolk, Julie Galinas, of Prince William County, Paula Powers, of Georgia, Judy Keating, of Blacksburg.
Funeral services will be conducted Friday at 2 p.m. in the R.W. Baker & Co. Funeral Home & Crematory by the Rev. B.C. Akers and Pastor Micah Voight, with burial in Western Branch Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends in the funeral home Thursday from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to the Nansemond Suffolk Rescue Squad, P.O. Box 1515, Suffolk, VA 23439 or Western Branch Baptist Church Building Fund, 6952 Old Myrtle Road, Suffolk, VA 23434. Condolences may be registered at www.rwbakerfh.com.