Jack Schrader Ashton

So sorry to Jack's family for this sad loss. What a great man he was! I'm from Oly Class of 1984 and played a horn concerto with the orchestra my senior year. I loved every minute playing under his direction during my time at Oly. What a fantastic legacy he leaves. Rest in peace, Jack.

Jack was a dear friend as a violin teacher of our daughter Alyce. He was kind, gracious, humerous, and fun to be with.
He was a true musician. I sang under his baton for two years at Olympus High when he led the Messiah. He also taught our son Jon music theory. His legacy as a person and a faithful member of the church has touched the lives of students, friends, and colleagues. His wife Marie was a great companion for him. I will miss him.

Our dear Marie and children,
Your whole family has left a magical musical legacy that touched countless lives (ours included!). What a lovely contribution to this planet.
Hank isn’t traveling these days so we won’t be able to attend the celebration of Jack’s life and accomplishments… But, we do, indeed, celebrate it!!!
How blessed we are for the times we had together over the years. We surround all of your tender hearts with our love.
Vickie & Hank

I grew up in the Garden Park Ward. Jack was one of my youth leaders. He was a humorous, loving person who had an impact on all of those he served. I have the fondest memories of spending time with him on numerous outings. His passing is a great loss to this world..

Dear Marie and family,
We were so saddened to hear of Jack's passing. And we're sad that we can't come to the funeral to express our condolences and give hugs in person. We're on a mission and will have to miss it. But we wanted you to know of our love and support at this time. Like thousands of others, frankly, everyone who ever knew Jack, we loved him. He and I just clicked on so many levels (maybe both being Idaho farm boys helped.) I'm sure everyone says the same. What a gift to be so lovable, and loving. I do claim to have a unique experience with Jack, because he and his brothers came to my dad's farm long ago, once when the Utah Symphony was on tour to Ricks College. We gathered the day after at my dad's place and went out to the sagebrush desert nearby, and had the greatest day hunting jack rabbits, perhaps in the annals of history. It happened to coincide with a rabbit infestation, and I believe, the evidence seems to support it, that they've never had another rabbit surge since then, we eliminated that many. Ted will testify. Jack and I would just break out laughing every time we saw each other afterwards and mentioned it. It is one of my fondest recollections and interactions with Jack. But there were, of course, many. Too many to list, but please know of our deepest affection for you all, and for your extended family, Marie. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

Paul Watson once told me, “Jack Ashton has done more for Salt Lake’s young string players than any other person.” I agree with that statement. He has changed the lives not only of his students but their parents as well. Taking on Curtis as a fifth grader was life changing for him. Jack was more patient than a teacher should have to be. We will be forever grateful to him and to Marie for the love and friendship they have always shown us and for their incredible musical example. Jack is still playing with angels, just the Heavenly kind, and will continue to add beauty to everyone who meets him!

Jack was an amazing conductor. My family and I loved him so much. A favorite memory that I had of him was when Austen would have lessons with Jack, and Aaron and I would play in his backyard. We would play on the swings, and the slide, having fun together, and then leaving when Austen was done. I loved his jokes, even if I didn’t laugh sometimes

It has been a blessing and great honor to have met this great man. He has not only taught Austen to play the viola better but also became part of our family. He was like a Grandfather to Austen. I’m so sorry for your loss. We love him and your family. May he be dressed in white conducting Angels as he did here on earth. Jack so long my friend until we meet again.

How I shall miss our friend Jack! It has been wonderful seeing you, Marie, and Jack in recent years in the temple and elsewhere. The two of you are forever one in my mind, and my family and I have been blest by both of you--your humor, your kind familiarity with each person in your long line of friends (of which I am glad to be one), your musical excellence, your brilliance. I thank Heaven that I have been blessed by each of you, and I know why, as Jack said, I improved more during my lesson than in the the rest of the week. It's because Jack, and you as well, inspired me and always will. Sending love! Lark

The House That Jack Built:
Private lessons for young players starting well before sunrise. High quality orchestral playing experience in the Rocky Mountain Camarata. Same over decades from the podium at Olympus High School. Celebrity tours throughout Utah and Europe with young string musicians as the celebrities. Cultural and historical education for so many youth who learned of the international world by tromping up and down in it. Leadership in the Federation of Music Clubs, incentivizing kid-musicians to practice and practice and practice, preparing to shine before and be critiqued and taught by professional musicians. Co-anchoring the violin II section of the incredible Utah Symphony, including their side by side concerts with kids. Devotedly loving and caring for wonderful wife and mother and pianist Marie and 8 kids, some of whom did not become musicians if you can believe that. Role-modeling high moral character, living a lesson on caring and cooperation and good will and persevering and stretching one’s limits and growing from disappointments and making better choices and comradery and behaving unlike most teenagers and playing D sharp exactly in unison and exactly in tune with vibrato and bravado, and exploring emotions not previously known by young players and audiences and offering it all with a twinkle in his eye--and the Twinkle of a beginner’s violin in his ear.
Some house!

I am very saddened to hear of Jack’s passing. Jack was kind, generous, witty, full to overflowing with goodness, and gave more to his community—musically and otherwise—than seems plausible for one human being. I’m exceedingly grateful for the opportunities I had to collaborate with him over the course of many decades.

Marie, my deepest condolences. I’m with you in spirit and wish you every comfort. Jack, I look forward to concerto performances together on the other side. In the meantime, I will continue to be blessed by having known and worked with you on this side. Blessings forever, my friend.

Mr. Ashton was my German teacher at Oly. He taught me a lasting lesson in humility, kindness, and forgiveness. I appreciated his steady positive influence in the lives of his students. I loved attending the Symphony and seeing him come on stage as First Violinist. He was talented, patient, and just a good man. Thank you, Mr. Ashton!

Love to you and family at this difficult time. Such a long association and friendship together has been a blessing. Sheranians, Judds, Moyles, Yeates and Ashtons are generationally connected going back to the 1930‘s when Grandpa Sheranian and Henry D. Moyle became life-long friends. We will miss Jack and remember him fondly.

Marie and your Most Extraordinary Family: How grateful Shelly and I are for being close neighbors with you and yours! Your entire family have provided so much benevolent service over the years especially as it relates to showing peace and love through music. Jack has always been among the "Tallest and Strongest Oak Trees of the Forest". All of you have been so dependable and reliably available to share your talents with others!! Jack and all of you have supported and blessed the lives of so many people. With love and respect.......

I didn’t know Jack personally but my daughter Ava played in his youth orchestra for a few years. He provided such a wonderful experience for her and others, and was an excellent example of truth and light. I am thankful for his vast contributions to music, community and to all the people and youth around him. What a life so well lived. All the best to Jack’s extended family. May peace be with you all.

Jack was such a huge part of my life. My daughter Natalie took lessons for many years and I was the fortunate observer. For many years as a violin teacher I sent my students on to Jack, so we shared the love of many young people over the years. He loved and inspired everyone, the children, the parents, and his fellow teachers. We all love him so much.

Jack was a wonderful teacher. His humor, talent, and dedication will be missed.

I thoroughly enjoyed working in a small way with Jack during the Youth Festivals at Abravanel Hall. He was so inspirational to so many and his energy was contagious. What a life well lived and a lasting legacy.

I had the privilege of playing for Jack for four years while in high school and college. He was a wonderful director and teacher. You could feel his love of the music. I have many wonderful memories from those times. He was a great man and will be missed.

Dear Marie,
We send our love to you. The world has lost a great man, but heaven has gained one! We hope that the Comforter will be your constant companion until you and Jack are reunited. No words can express the positive influence for good that you and Jack have been on us and on our family. Melissa, Emily, Mary, and David are all better people for knowing and interacting with both of you. Not only were they influenced in their music, but also in their lives. Jack will be sorely missed.
The funeral today was lovely. You have both raised amazing children. We are so blessed to have you as part of our lives! God bless you.

I taught at Olympus High with Jack for many years. What an incredible man and friend. We had many discussions which were always uplifting to me. Jack was a gentleman in every sense of the word. Always kind and always caring. I am sorry that he has left us and wish you all peace and comfort. The world is a bit less without him.

I first met Jack about 50 years ago at the summer string camps in Snowbird when I was a young teenager. We met again about 20 years later when I taught at Olympus with him for a few years. About 10 years later, my daughter Jessica played in the Olympus High Orchestra and convinced Jack to give her private lessons for a couple of years. He was so patient and kind with her. I then insisted that my younger daughter Janae be in the Olympus orchestra her sophomore year. Janae loved dancing far more than violin at that time. Even so, Jack went out of his way to have the orchestra play dance of the sugar plum fairies in a Christmas concert that year and asked Janae to perform the ballet part with the orchestra. It seems he always looked for the one! His humor and love were unmatched!
He will be greatly missed by us all! Thank you for sharing him with us!

On behalf of the Wilson Family, please accept our sincere gratitude and deep sorrow to the Ashton Family, and especially Marie. Thank you for sharing more than 10 years of your family time with our family as we had our weekly lessons--1971-1982. We remember when many of you were born! And so many jokes (Polish Remover, a golden belly button, and a green scar stand out.) We became really good sight-readers and appreciated all of the incredible time spent learning everything from Mosquito Dance to the great violin concertos of Bach, Mozart, Bruch, Saint-Saens, and Mendelssohn. Jack's influence continues in our own families and communities as we serve and share music and our lives are forever better for having spent time with the unforgettable Jack! Sincerely, Marta, Lisa, Julie, & Anne, etc.

Only a few weeks ago I saw Jack Ashton on stage at Abravanel Hall conducting the Young Artists Chamber Players. My 2 children, who are now both violinists, were beside me, and I told them about how Jack had been my violin teacher in high school and what an important influence he had been in my life. I was so impressed to see him up there still, conducting those young people. I thought about how lucky they were to be under his direction, and how lucky I was then, and now, to have had him as a teacher. Because of him I went on to get a degree in violin performance and it has blessed my life in so many ways. Now my children are blessed to have violin as part of their lives. My oldest child is in a youth symphony and LOVES it! I see her eyes light up when she plays in her orchestra and it is magical! I can't thank Jack and his wife and family enough for the sacrifices they made that have blessed me, and now my family, with a life rich with beautiful music. We love you.

Jack influenced and inspired thousands of lives through his deep love of music and his unwavering dedication to his students. He had a unique gift for bringing out the best in everyone and encouraged them to share their talents with the world. Many of his students have gone on to become teachers themselves, carry forward his remarkable legacy The Watts family will be forever grateful for the profound impact he had on our lives.

Jack and I have been friends since he began taking violin lessons from my mother, Melba Lindsay Burton. We literally "played" together for many years. I was impressed by his honorable choice on one particular occasion when he showed his true strength of character. On the day his father died, Jack had an obligation to perform somewhere that evening. Rather than taking the easy way out, he ignored his heavy heart and fulfilled that obligation. We all know that teachers are pleased when their students do well. So was the case with my mother who was impressed that Jack took the ball (better stated, the baton) and ran with it exceeding all expectations. Jack definitely made his mark in this world by blessing the lives of so many people both through music and through personal association. He will be missed, but his legacy will live on.
Elizabeth Burton

Precious Ashton family, I am so saddened to learn of Jack’s passing. I’m sending love and prayers your way as I think about Jack’s beautiful example in my life. What an incredibly giving and gifted man he was! His generous heart touched so many lives including mine. Those birthday serenades are never to be forgotten!
I pray you all will be comforted and lifted up in your loss until the day his music once again leads you home to reunite with him.

We send our condolences to the Ashton family at this time of loss. Musical heroes live on through their students and audiences. We are so grateful to have know Jack and hear his beautiful music. He was so fun to be around and shared his love for life and music with so many.

It was an honor to play with you sir all those years.
Peter Margulies
Utah Symphony.

Jack will be missed. His impact on the education of music students cannot be overstated. Scores of young musicians were positively affected by his commitment and talent as an educator and mentor.
He was a key member of the Utah Symphony Orchestra. His good nature and leadership lifted the spirit of his fellow orchestra members. His fiddling demonstrations at Utah Symphony education concerts were a highlight for all.

My husband just said Jack was such a wonderful person. I was a teacher at Olympus High School 1984-2015 and the Oly employee's had such great teacher morale. Jack was always a kind gentleman and a friend. We later found out we were related through the Moyle line- so we’re cousins too. I have good memories of that fine teacher, friend and cousin.

I enjoyed learning from Jack at Olympus High. He was one of the teachers that taught me the value of hard work. My father and I had the opportunity to spend time with him and his son on the band and orchestra trip to California in 2005. Jack’s sense of humour was the best. He was very funny.

A few years ago I spoke with him and the one thing he told me when I spoke with him about getting an education at Westminster College was “Smart people go to Westminster.” I appreciated that. My father and I are very saddened by his loss. May his memory be eternal.

I am so sorry to hear of Jack’s passing. I am a former student of Jack Ashton’s. I took private lessons from him during my high school years in the 1970’s. He was an amazing teacher. Now that I am an adult with a career as a professional violinist and teacher, I realize the huge impact that he had on me. Jack was such a kind hearted and warm man who loved the violin and was able to transfer that love to his students. To this day I have no idea how he fit in all his performing, teaching and family. I remember lessons during which Marie would bring Jack his dinner while he taught. He was non-stop! Marie was so kind and always willing to accompany any of us students. Recitals were warm and fun-filled productions. Thank you, Jack, for teaching me not only all about the violin but how to be a generous human being.

With best wishes to Marie and family,
Carla Moore

We had the pleasure of meeting Jack and Marie at the Mountain Strings Summer Camp during the summer of 2024. We enjoyed several interesting conversations with Jack and were in awe of his work with the students. We are grateful we had the opportunity to be on the sidelines of the wonderful work he did with those young musicians.
Our condolences to Marie and all who loved Jack.