Gregers "Greg" Ashley

With profound sadness, the family of Gregers “Greg” Peter Ashley announces his unexpected passing on June 1, 2025, in Ottawa, ON, at the age of 67.

Greg is lovingly remembered by his wife of 39 years, Lisa; his children, Marilyn, Michael, and Peter; his sister Jane (Les); his brother Tom (Linda); and his beloved nieces, Rosemary and Grace, and nephew, Jacob. He was predeceased by his parents, Peter and Mary, and will be deeply missed by his extended family and many dear friends.

Born in Vancouver, BC, and raised in Pointe-Claire, QC, Greg had a lifelong love of storytelling. He often shared humorous accounts of adventures and mischief from all stages of life. Childhood stories included playing every sport imaginable with neighbourhood kids until their moms called them home for dinner. He liked to recall his gritty summer job cleaning sludge from tankers at the Procter and Gamble factory, where he’d reward himself by bringing home and eating a cake every night. Greg was also proud of his years at McGill University, where he played on the football team as a kicker. Never one to pass up a good thing, he even completed a master’s degree just to extend his eligibility and keep playing. The record-setting 51-yard field goal he kicked stood for many years—a fact he was always happy to mention. Quick-witted and full of classic dad jokes, Greg was a constant source of smiles, laughter, and the occasional good-natured groan.

Professionally, Greg built a career as an environmental engineer and later as a Senior Vice President at MHPM (now Colliers Project Leaders). He was respected for his practical wisdom and the personal responsibility he felt for the success and well-being of his colleagues and their families.

Greg was happiest outdoors — hiking, cycling, skiing, kayaking, scuba diving, and exploring new trails. He was endlessly handy, taking on home and cottage improvement projects, often recruiting friends and family to help. After a day of working hard, Greg loved sharing a glass of wine or a cold beer with those he cared about.

A natural lifelong learner, Greg welcomed new challenges with curiosity and determination. Recent pursuits included scuba diving with his brother and playing pickleball with friends. Travel was another great joy in his life. He explored places like Japan, cruised through the glaciers of Alaska, hiked in Arizona, kayaked in Belize, snorkeled in Roatán, and often returned to his ancestral home of Denmark to visit his extended family. Many of these adventures were shared with his wife and children and his close-knit group of university friends, affectionately known as The Gerbils, along with their partners, The Bobcats.

Greg also appreciated the quieter moments, like working on a crossword puzzle with a cat on his lap or watching TV with a jar of peanuts or a bag of Cheezies.

Greg and Lisa shared 39 years of partnership. Together, they navigated the joys and chaos of raising triplets, travelled the world, and supported one another. In many ways, they were opposites—Lisa has a calm, steady presence and a talent for keeping things running smoothly, while Greg brought energy and a readiness to jump into action (usually following her carefully crafted lists). Their differences weren’t just complementary, they were what made them such a strong, balanced team. Greg often said how lucky he felt to have Lisa by his side.

He was a generous and hands-on father. When his kids were young, he brought them on all kinds of adventures. They sneaked into neighbourhood construction sites and set off on spontaneous missions to new parks. As they got older, he stayed closely involved in their lives. He was eager to hear about their work, studies, and latest interests. One of his favourite tricks was to take them on a long drive, knowing they couldn’t escape the car or his questions. Greg remained the person you called in an emergency. He helped with buying cars, moving houses, and navigating first-time home searches. He was incredibly proud of each of his children and never missed a chance to talk about them. After spending time with friends or colleagues, he would often come home saying, “Your ears must have been burning—I couldn’t stop talking about you.”

Greg’s life will be celebrated on Friday, June 13th, at 1:00 p.m. at Beechwood Cemetery, 280 Beechwood Avenue, Ottawa. A reception will follow from 2:00–4:00 p.m. In his memory, please consider spending time in nature, helping a friend with a project, or sharing a glass of wine and a laugh. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer's Society of Canada, a charity he felt deeply about.