WAYNE STEWART ASHBY WAS BORN IN NEWARK, NEW JERSEY ON JUNE 16, 1950 TO PARENTS, LORESTER AND MARJORIE ASHBY. WAYNE WAS THE THIRD SON BORN INTO A FAMILY OF 6 BROTHERS THAT INCLUDED HOWARD, DAVID, RODNEY, JAY AND DEAN.

WAYNE ATTENDED GRAMAR SCHOOL AT SOUTH 8 th STREET SCHOOL AND LATER ATTENDED HIGH SCHOOL AT BARRINGER HIGH SCHOOL WHERE HE PLAYED IN THE SCHOOL ORCHESTRA AND PLAYED SAXOPHONE IN THE SCHOOL'S ELITE BAND, THE BLUE JACKETS. UPON GRADUATION WAYNE ATTENDED BLOOMFIELD COLLEGE WHERE HE MAJORED IN SOCIOLOGY WITH THE INTENTION TO EXTEND HIS STUDIES AT RUTGERS UNIVERSITY NEW BRUNSWICK. IT WAS THERE THAT HE EARNED THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SOCIAL WORK.

WAYNE BECAME A SOCIAL WORKER FOR THE NEWARK BOARD OF EDUCATION WHERE HE HEADED THE CHILD STUDY TEAM FOR 35 YEARS. WAYNE ALSO SERVED AS VICE PRESIDENT OF THE NEWARK TEACHERS UNION. HE LOVED HIS WORK, HIS CO-WORKERS AND HIS STUDENTS.

ANYONE WHO KNEW WAYNE KNOWS ABOUT HIS TALENTS IN THE KITCHEN. HE WAS A GREAT COOK OF ALL SORTS OF DISHES AND DESERTS. EVERYONE ALWAYS LOOKED FORWARD TO ENJOYING HIS CULINARY CREATIONS.

WAYNE RETIRED IN 2009, RELAXED, ENJOYED FRIENDS AND FAMILY AND ENJOYED ONE OF HIS FAVORITE PASTIMES – COOKING, WATCHING SCI-FI MOVIES AND WESTERNS. WAYNE WAS LOVED, RESPECTED AND ADMIRED BY MANY FOR HIS KIND PERSONALITY AND GENEROSITY.

WAYNE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE, FRANCELLA HENRY ASHBY, WHO HE MET AT BLOOMFIELD COLLEGE AND MARRIED IN 1973. HIS DAUGHTER, AMINAH ASHBY KEATS, BROTHERS, DAVID ASHBY, RODNEY ASHBY, JAY ASHBY AND DEAN ASHBY AS WELL AS NEICE TIANNA ASHBY, NEPHEWS ALLEN ASHBY, NICK ASHBY AND MARC ASHBY.