Arden "Art" Ashley, 83, of Pinehurst, N.C., and formerly of Kanawha County, W.V., passed away at the Sandy Ridge Memory Care & Assisted Living in Candor, N.C., Monday, March 13, 2017.

Born in Nitro, W.V., Art was the son of the late Arthur and Thelma Wears Ashely and the brother of the late Albert D. Ashley. He had earned his bachelor's degree from Guilford College in Greensboro, N.C. Art had always been involved in politics having served as Mayor of Nitro, as Sheriff of Kanawha County, and was a former member of the House of Delegates for the W.V. State Legislature. He had also been a board member of the Board of Directors of the National League of Cities as well as past president of the Charleston, W.V. Lions Club, past president of the W.V. Municipal League and past president of the Small Cities Council of the National League of Cities. Art was a member of the Brownson Memorial Presbyterian Church of Southern Pines and was a former member of the First Presbyterian Church of Nitro, where he had been an elder.

Art was the husband of Margaret "Missy" Ashley of Pinehurst. He was the father of Dana K. Angell of Nitro and Teresa L. Rakowski of Virginia Beach, Va. He is also survived by his two grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m., Saturday, March 25, at Nitro High School.

The family requests in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Hospice or the First Presbyterian Church of Nitro.