Lyle Ashley, decorated Navy veteran, insurance agency founder, and well-known professional in Texas insurance circles, passed away Jan. 24, 2014.
Ashley, 69, received The Vietnam Service Medal with two bronze stars for his service with the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War.
He returned to his birthplace, Houston, after his military service, and began his insurance career in 1966 as a producer with W.T. Cooper Agency.
He formed Ashley Insurance Agency in 1970, which he sold in 1980. He then turned his attention full time to his wholesale insurance agency, Surplus Inc., which he had formed in 1975. From 1980 until 2004, Ashley was president of Surplus Inc. he sold the agency to Hilb, Rogal & Hobbs in 2004, remaining as president until 2008.
In 2010, he formed Ashley General Agency, a managing general agency in Conroe.
In 2012, he was one of the founding members of the Texas Wholesale Insurance Coalition (TWIC), a group of Texas-based managing general agents/brokers that came together to create efficiencies and better compete with large national conglomerates for Texas retail agents’ business.
Ashley served as a director of the Independent Agents of Houston, and on committees of the American Association of Managing General Agents and Texas Surplus Lines Association.
He served as an Elder in the First Presbyterian Church in Conroe, Texas, volunteered with youth groups of the church, and was a friend of Faith Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, Texas.
He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Janet Campbell McGavin Ashley, and his daughter, Billie Gorrell (Dennis) Conroe, son, Jack Ashley (Bethany) Conroe and daughter, Heather Nelson (Karl). Also, by his 10 grandchildren, his brother William, sister Jackie and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Visitation is scheduled for Thursday, January 30, from 5-8 p.m. at Cashner Funeral Home, Conroe, Texas. A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 1, at 10:30 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Conroe. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to First Presbyterian Church, Conroe, Texas, the Shriners Hospital in Houston, the American Cancer Society or to any charity.
Topics Texas Agencies Insurance Wholesale Church
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