Gordon Kearl Ashley II

Gordon Kearl Ashley II passed away on July 27, 2023, in Salt Lake City, Utah. He was born on April 3, 1942, in Montpelier, Idaho, to the late Rae Dell Evans and Gordon Ashley. Most of Gordon’s family knew Gordon as “Kay”. Gordon is survived by his sister, Allyson Ashley and sister-in-law Sherri Viland, as well as his cousins, Brent Rich and Cheri Cates. He was preceded in death by his mother, Rae Dell Evans, his father, Gordon Ashley, and his stepfather, John Whittaker. Gordon is also survived by a half-brother, Blair Ashley, and a half-sister, Nary Jane Ashley. Gordon had a passion for education and earned a Doctorate degree in nuclear physics at the University of Utah. He served in the Navy until his honorable discharge due to eyesight limitations. After his military service, Gordon dedicated the majority of his career to working for Bechtel Engineering & Construction in San Francisco, California as a nuclear physicist during which time the department which he headed at Bechtel built the majority of the nuclear power plants across the country. Following his retirement from Bechtel, Gordon organized a company, Senentec Corporation with one of his former employees at Bechtel, Wyn Schuh, which company consulted for many of the nuclear power plants across the world. Gordon also pursed a part-time teaching career teaching physics at the University of California, Berkely and Diablo Valley College in Concord, California until he was diagnosed with terminal cancer, at which time he moved from his home in Walnut Creek, California back to Salt Lake City, and with the assistance of his mother, Rae Dell, was admitted to the Huntsman Cancer Institute at the University of Utah, where after several years of heavy treatment Gordon was declared cancer free. However, due to his chemotherapy and radiation treatment, along with having diabetes most of his life, his health gradually declined over the subsequent years, until his lost his eye sight, and suffered from other effects from his diabetes disease, which finally took his life. Outside of his professional life, Gordon had a deep appreciation for both astronomy and physics and often looked at the world through the lens of a physicist. He would frequently express his love for the subject, saying, "I love my physics." In his leisure time, he enjoyed sailing with his friend Dean, engaging in intellectual conversations with friends and family on various topics, particularly history and physics. Gordon also had a passion for trains and had an extensive collection of model trains. Gordon was as an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, where he served as a missionary for the church in Germany, and later served as gospel doctrine teacher, and as a high priest group leader. Gordon was also an avid reader of LDS church books and scriptures and had an extensive knowledge of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Gordon will be remembered for his dedication to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for this contribution to the field of physics, his dedication to and love for his country, and his concern for, and efforts to help others. He asked that we thank those of his doctors, nurses, and aids, family and friends who assisted him, especially during the last few months of his life. He will be missed by many

Gordon Kearl Ashley II

April 3, 1942 - July 27, 2023