Clyde Lawson Ashe

Clyde Lawson Ashe was born into this world on March 20th, 1927. Shortly before passing into her eternal home on December 30th, 2023, she raised her hands to Heaven and said aloud, “Okay. I am ready to go.” There, she would see her baby girl, Julia Ann, whom she never got the opportunity to meet or even hold due to complications at birth. Clyde was preceded in death by Rufus T. Ashe, her husband of sixty-three years.

Known as “Aunt Lolly” by her nieces and nephews, Clyde was a woman of faith who used her God-given talents to the fullest. In the 1980s, she opened The Kitchen Cupboard restaurant in downtown Childersburg, Alabama, where she served homemade meals on weekdays and catered private events. Her cooking was so phenomenal that Clyde entered her chicken pot pie—a family favorite—into a contest and won first place. She was famous for baking mouth-watering cakes that she customized into train cars, Raggedy Ann, Batman, and other characters. All her other delicacies—loved by everyone—are too many to list.

In her married years, Clyde and Rufus took up square dancing and rarely missed a Friday evening twirling the Do-si-do with partners who became lifelong friends.

During the final days of her ninety-six years, the nurses and staff at St. Vincent’s Hospital—amazed by her quick wit, sharp mind, and ability to text and surf the Internet from her iPhone and iPad—asked for her secret to longevity. Clyde’s answer is a lesson for the world: “Always do for others. If you get bored or down and out, cook something for someone, take them something or somewhere because we are the hands and feet of Christ. When we lift up others, we are expressing kindness and displaying the Lord's love.”

Clyde (Aunt Lolly) will be greatly missed by everyone who knew and loved her, including her many nieces and nephews: Kathy Olson (Ed), C. Miller Sharpe (Julia), Vic Hulslander (Ellen), Fran Hulslander Gross, Matthew Goff (Laurie), Andy Kaufmann (Tina), Tom Kaufmann (Ann), David Kaufmann (Mary Grace), Kathryn Kaufmann, Katy Kaufmann Parson (Joe), Jessica Coston (Russ), Joe Kaufmann, Bryan Kaufmann, Abigail Kaufmann, Drew Kaufmann, Tommy Kaufmann, and Janie Miller.

The family would like to thank the nurses and staff at St. Vincent’s Hospital and Aspire Cahaba. And a very special and heartfelt thanks to her caretaker of several years, Debbie Whitfield, whom she loved and adored. Lastly, a debt of gratitude is owed to April May, her sitter, who sang, It Is Well With My Soul, and serenaded her right up to those Pearly Gates!

A graveside service will be held at Elmwood Cemetery at 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, January 4th, 2024, followed by a Celebration of Life Service beginning at 2:00 p.m. at her beloved Knollwood Presbyterian Church located at 1277 Knollwood Lane, Sylacauga, Al. 35151. There will not be a public visitation at the funeral home. We asked that anyone that is attending the graveside service to meet by 10:45am at Johns Ridout's Elmwood Chapel located at 800 Dennison Ave. SW Birmingham, Alabama 35211 and we will all process down to the gravesite together.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made at Knollwood Presbyterian Church located at 1277 Knollwood Lane, Sylacauga, AL. 35151.