Wendell Jeremy Ashton, 82, former publisher of the Deseret News and well known community and church leader, died early Thursday morning in Salt Lake City.
Mr. Ashton, who was publisher of the Deseret News from 1978 to 1985 and who had held numerous key leadership and other positions in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and in city, state, advertising, music, fund-raising, sports and other circles, died shortly after midnight at LDS Hospital after suffering a series of strokes.An avid jogger, tennis player and strong supporter of professional basketball and other sports, Mr. Ashton had been in good physical health until Tuesday, according to a son, Kay R. Ashton. He said his father jogged around the Skyline High School track Monday and played tennis Tuesday morning. Later that day he experienced mild strokes and was admitted to the hospital Tuesday evening. The strokes became progressively worse, and Mr. Ashton never regained consciousness after Wednesday morning.
"Dad had a very full calendar of things in which he was involved, including an assignment to work Thursday in the cannery at Welfare Square," Kay R. Ashton said.
The mark of Mr. Ashton, sometimes referred to as a "human dynamo and whirlwind" because of his involvement in civic, church and other activities, was on myriad projects and organizations throughout the city and state.
They included the Utah Symphony and Symphony Hall (now known as Abravanel Hall), the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce, the Utah Jazz, the Boy Scouts of America, Days of '47 Inc., the United Way, the Utah Bicentennial Commission, the Republican Party, Utahns Against Pornography and advertising and public relations efforts aimed at defeating the liquor-by-the-drink proposal in 1968.
"Wendell was always busy and working for the betterment of the community," said Fred S. Ball, president of the Salt Lake Area Chamber of Commerce.
The First Presidency of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints expressed condolences to Mrs. Ashton and members of the family.
Enid N. DeBirk, who was administrative assistant to Mr. Ashton when he was managing director of the Public Communications Department of the church and later publisher of the Deseret News, said, "Wendell was Mr. Public Relations personsified. But he never wanted publicity for himself. He took great pride in Salt Lake City and Utah and was the city and state's best booster."
She said Mr. Ashton himself fit well the description of "The Man in the Arena," one of his favorite works written by Theodore Roosevelt.
"Wendell was truly the man in the arena because he was an individual who got things done. He never hesitated to accept a challenge for a good cause," she said.
Mr. Ashton was born Oct. 31, 1912, in Salt Lake City, to Marvin O. and Rae Jeremy Ashton. He was the eldest son among two other brothers and three sisters. His father served in the LDS Presiding Bishopric, and a brother, the late Elder Marvin J. Ashton, was a member of the Quorum of the Twelve.
As a boy, Wendell J. Ashton raised and sold farm produce and loved all sports. He attended Salt Lake elementary schools and LDS High School and College, where he was editor of the school newspaper. In 1933 he graduated magna cum laude from the University of Utah and its School of Business and was a member of Sigma Nu, Phi Kappa Phi and Alpha Phi Omega fraternities. He was a Utah finalist for a Rhodes scholarship in 1933.
From 1934 to 1936 he served an LDS mission to Great Britain. While serving as a missionary, he edited the Millennial Star, the church's oldest periodical.
Mr. Ashton's stint as a journalist included work as a writer for three years (1931-1934) for the Salt Lake Telegram, where he did sports and police reporting.
In later years (1947-1948) he was managing editor of the Deseret News and was named publisher and executive vice president of the newspaper in 1978, serving until 1985. He was instrumental in reviving a Sunday edition of the Deseret News in 1983 after a 31-year absence and a Saturday morning edition.
While serving as Deseret News publisher, he was called as president of the England London Mission of the church. There he spearheaded efforts for a celebration commemorating 150 years of the church's presence in England.
Mr. Ashton's accomplishments in advertising included work for one year as an account executive with Gillham Advertising Inc. He became a member of the firm in 1950 and a year later became one of its executive officers. He was vice president of the company when called by the First Presidency of the church in 1972 to organize and direct a public communications department. His many efforts there until 1978 included helping to develop a series of award-winning radio and TV public service messages.
He was president of East Mill Creek Stake from 1960 to 1962 and was one of the original 69 regional representatives of the Quorum of the Twelve who were called in 1967. For 21 years he was a member of the Sunday School General Board, served as a member of the Adult Committee of the Church Correlation Council and a member of the Church Leadership Committee.
He was chairman of a committee which, under the direction of the First Presidency and Council of the Twelve, prepared the format and guidelines for Priesthood Home Teaching when it was introduced in 1964. He was a sealer in the Salt Lake Temple.
He was also associate editor of the church's Instructor magazine, where for 28 years his articles were published on the back cover.
He was author of a number of books, including "Voice in the West," the story of the Deseret News during its first century; "Salt of the Earth" (with Ab Jenkins); "Theirs is the Kingdom"; "It's Your Life to Enjoy"; "In Your Own Image"; "Bigger Than Yourself"; "To Thine Own Self"; and "A Window on Life."
His community service spanned many years and included leadership and assistance to many different organizations and causes.
Mr. Ashton's strong support of the Utah Symphony, the Utah Jazz and the Chamber of Commerce are well known in Utah.
Ashton was one of the prime movers in 1977 in bringing the New Orleans Jazz (now the Utah Jazz) to Utah. He and Ball sold 4,000 season tickets in one month in an effort to bring the team to the Beehive State.
Mr. Ashton's support of and regular attendance at Jazz games is seen in his personalized automobile license plates, which read: "Go Jazz." He and his wife, Belva Barlow, whom he married in 1964 after the death of his first wife, Marian Reynolds Ashton, have had season tickets every year since the Jazz came to Salt Lake City.
Ball said Mr. Ashton was president of the symphony for 20 years, "raising hundreds of thousands of dollars a year." He became well known-for his early morning breakfast and luncheon fund-raising gatherings in behalf of the symphony.
"I don't think we would have a symphony orchestra if it weren't for Wendell," Ball said.
Under Mr. Ashton's presidency the orchestra achieved international status, with tours to Europe in 1966 and Latin America in 1971.
This and numerous other commitments to the community netted Mr. Ashton "A Giant in Our City" award from the chamber in 1985.
The award is not given every year, only when deemed appropriate, Ball said.
The award was created to "honor exceptional and distinguished public service, and/or extraordinary professional achieve-ment that reflects great credit on the recipient and our community . . ."
Mr. Ashton's survivors include his widow, Belva; two sons and five daughters, Wendy (Mrs. Neil) Christiansen, Draper; Susan Ashton, Salt Lake City; Ellen (Mrs. J. Robert) VanOrman, Salt Lake City; Marged (Michael K.) Kirkpatrick, Salt Lake City; Owen R. (Rebecca) Ashton, Chicago; Kay R. Ashton (Heidi), Centerville; Allyson Louise (Mrs. Daniel R.) Chard, Minneapolis, Minn.; a sister, Eleanor Badger, Salt Lake City; and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren;
Funeral services are pending and will be announced by Larkin Mortuary.