Maurice Ashcraft

Maurice Bryan Ashcraft TUSCALOOSA Maurice Bryan Ashcraft, age 77, of Tuscaloosa, passed away May 5, 2010, at Noland Hospital in Birmingham. Graveside services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday, May 10, 2010, at Tuscaloosa Memorial Park with Rev. Fred Hammond officiating and Magnolia Chapel Funeral Home South directing. He was preceded in death by his parents, Wilford Lester Ashcraft and Mamie Wheat Ashcraft, siblings, Maureen Farris and Rozelle Ashcraft, and one daughter, Karen Denise Ashcraft. He is survived by sister, Elenor Varnadore of Atlanta, Ga.; his children, Elton Keith Ashcraft (Linda) of Birmingham, Ala., Sharon Kay Ashcraft Freeman (Bobby) of Northport, Ala., and Jerolyn Rebecca Ashcraft (Kenny) of Gadsden, Ala.; his grandchildren, Joshua Ashcraft, Leslie B. Essman, Alex Freeman, Laura Freeman, Clint Barrett, and Natalie Barrett; several great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. He is also survived by special friend Hedwig Clary and her family. Maurice was born in Columbus, Miss. and spent his early years there and has been a life-long resident of Tuscaloosa, Ala. He graduated from Holt High School and received an accounting degree from the University of Alabama. He served honorably as a Sergeant in the Army during the Korean War and received numerous decorations and service medals. He was employed as an accountant at Warrior Asphalt for many years, he was also employed at Jim Walter Mines #5 and more recently he retired from Power and Rubber. He has an insatiable love of reading about history, politics, archaeology, and poetry. If he was in between books he would read the encyclopedia. His favorite poet, Robert Frost, gave him much peace, and he could recite page after page from memory. He was one of the most interesting people you could meet and you could hold a conversation on any topic. He loved good humor and really loved a great well planned practical joke and a winning hand at a good poker game. Pallbearers will be Rodney Alexander, Alex Freeman, Clint Barrett, Eric Clary, Braden Harris, and Lee Harris. Honorary pallbearers are members of the regiment he served with in Korea, co-workers at Jim Walter Mines #5, employees of Power and Rubber, and the group of friends he played poker with.