James "Jim" Phillip Ashbaugh, age 90, of Harleysville, PA, went home to be with the Lord on Friday, June 12, 2026. He was the beloved husband of Mary Kathryn (Holt) Ashbaugh, with whom he shared almost 70 years of marriage.

Born May 13, 1936, in Clear Lake, SD, he was the eldest son of the late Louis William and Kathleen Elizabeth (Hand) Ashbaugh. He was affectionately known as "Phil" by those in the Clear Lake area.

Jim was a United States Army veteran who was stationed in Germany and came home to marry his high school sweetheart, Mary Kathryn, in September 1956. He attended South Dakota University for electrical engineering while starting his family. He began his career in Roseville, MN, with Sperry Univac (later Unisys). He was relocated by Sperry Univac to Pennsylvania in 1972. He was an accomplished engineer and an early contributor to modern computing, even having a microprocessor patent. During his career at Sperry Univac, he helped design the UNIVAC 1108 computer system, a machine that influenced later generations of advanced computers. When he retired from Unisys, he continued his skills with Ashbaugh Electric.

His most treasured hobby was fishing where he would go on biannual fishing trips to Canada with his sons and grandchildren, and sometimes solo. He spent many summers with his family at the lake, where he taught his children and grandchildren to water ski. He continued to water ski himself until the age of 80.

Jim was a former active member of Zwingli United Church of Christ, in Souderton, PA, and found his most recent church home at Calvary Chapel Central Bucks in Chalfont, PA. In his spare time, Jim restored old cars. He was most proud of the restoration on his 1973 Mustang and 1972 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme convertibles. Known for his generosity, ingenuity, and practicality, he could fix or invent anything he needed, and probably coined the term "Jimmy- rigged." The source of his greatest pride and joy was from his large family and witnessing the many varied talents and successes in music, theater, sports and careers of his children and grandchildren, and a plethora of family gatherings just for fun and love.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his six children: Grace Ross of St. Peters, MO; Michael Ashbaugh and his wife Doris of Loganville, GA; Steven Ashbaugh of Reading, PA; Dianne Forwood and her husband Scott of Telford, PA; Lisa Scheele of Brighton, CO; and Nancy Ashbaugh of Quakertown, PA; thirteen grandchildren: Michelle Krute and her husband Jason, Brandon Ross, Justin Ross, Angela Knisely and her husband Ben, Daniel Ashbaugh, Tianna Salenga and her husband Brinton, Arthur Forwood and his wife Lindsay, Spenser Forwood, Samantha Hand and her husband Tim, Rebecca Hernandez and her husband Jose, Jessica Scheele, Hannah O'Shea and her husband Nick, Jason Kramlik; eleven great grandchildren: Adin and Timothy Krute, Naia Ashbaugh, Shia Salenga, Grace Forwood, Hudson and Henley Hand, Canelo, Saoul, Sully, and Olivia Hernandez; sisters Jeannette Harding of Baltic, SD, and Louween "Buzz" Schoenhard of Bella Vista, AR; brothers Daniel and his wife Rita of Clear Lake, SD, and Thomas and his wife Marcia of Huron, SD. Also survived by numerous nieces, nephews and extended family.

A celebration of life for Jim will take place on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. at Trinity Church of Boyertown, 250 Sweinhart Rd., Boyertown, PA, 19512. A luncheon will follow in the fellowship hall.

For those desiring, a memorial contribution in Jim's name may be made to Calvary Chapel of Central Bucks, 1100 Manor Drive, Chalfont PA 18914.