Ashley Gresham Frazier
April 5, 1973 - ???????

While I was reading the obituaries in Sunday’s paper (don’t ask), I was astonished at the vast difference in content. Some people had all of 1 paragraph. “Jane Doe, 85 passed away at Such and Such Hospital on Saturday. She was proceeded in death by her husband of 52 years, John doe and her parents Mary Smith Doe and Billy Doe all of Dalton. She is survived by her 3 children and 6 grand-children. A celebration of her life will be held graveside at That Cemetery on 123rd street at 11 am Monday morning. For word s of condolence send your email to www.email.com.” The next one was like 4 paragraphs. The man, we’ll call “Henry”, was the same age, and had virtually the same criteria noted. Wife was dead, 3 children and died in the Hospital in his hometown. However, it went into such detail as to describe his hobbies, his church membership, his jobs, what year he retired and the names of his children, grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren’s. It was very impressive. He was a purple heart, a volunteer for many civic organizations and apparently loved by many.
Well, this really got me thinking. What happened in the 85 years Jane Doe was alive that made her life so much more uneventful? Did she just have unappreciative or uneducated children that didn’t take the time or know to announce her accomplishments in life? Maybe, she didn’t want them announced. And why would you celebrate a life AT the graveyard? Is there going to be a keg, loud music, and party hats? Maybe that is where they will announce her life long memories. Who knows!!! I just thought that it was really sad. When my Dad died, I was only 17 and wasn’t really involved in the writing of his obituary, so I didn’t really remember what it said. So I went to the basement and dug it out. It wasn’t bad, but it defiantly didn’t do him justice. It did mention my name and my evil step monster’s name, but nothing about his LIFE was really disclosed. Of course, this was kind of disturbing to me, but you don’t get re-writes, so oh well.
Remember in the movie Risky Business when they were given the assignment to write their own obituary? Well, I decided to do the same thing. It’s kind of morbid and weird, but it really makes you THINK!! What about your life are you proud of, what do you still have to accomplish, and what/who actually made such an impact in your life that you feel the need to recognize them when announcing your death. So, I started to think and write, and erase, and think……It’s really eye opening. As, morbid and weird as it might be, I am challenging all of you to do the same thing. It can make you aware of things that are yet to be accomplished and make you more motivated to live life at its fullest!! When you finish, highlight what you still need to do. It’s astounding how much yellow is left on mine.

Ashley Gresham Frazier

April 5th 1973 – HOPEFULLY A LONG TIME FROM NOW.


Ashley Gresham Frazier, CMA, formerly of Dalton GA, passed away in her sleep on Monday evening, at the age of 90 at her beachfront home in Gulf Shores, Alabama. She is preceded in death by her Father, David Gresham Frazier, her Mother Glenda Carol Newberry Haley Frazier Buford Hill and loving Stepfather Perry Lee Hill. She is survived by her life partner Roger Jack Bagley, Jr. whom she was scheduled to marry in 10 more years also of the residence. She is also survived by her Daughter and Son-In-Law, Bryleigh Beau Frazier-Biden and Hunter Biden of Washington D.C., Son and Daughter-In-Law Dr. Jaxon David Frazier-Bagley and Natalie Biden Bagley of Gulf Shores, AL., Seem like Daughters and Son in law, Whitney Hope Bagley Alderman and William Alderman of Dalton, Ga., and Command Chief Master Sergeant Halle B. Bagley of the US Air Force. Grandson’s Joseph Robinette Biden V, David Gresham Frazier Biden, Beau Lee Bagley, and Paul Roger Alderman. Granddaughters, Ashley Gresham Bagley and Alicia Carol Alderman. One Brother Andrew Dean Buford and nephew Ryan Dean Buford of Montgomery AL.
Ashley was a member of Holy Spirit Episcopal Church in Gulf Shores and a long time member of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Dalton Ga. Born in Dalton, Ashley completed her undergraduate degree at Ga. Southern University in Statesboro, GA. She was employed by Tandus, Inc. for 38 years where she served as Chief Financial Officer upon forced retirement in 2043. She earned and executive MBA from Kennesaw State University and numerous IMA awards for her dedication to the management accounting community. She was the recipient of the Junior Achievement Legacy award for her 40 years of dedication to the success of the youth of the community, as well as The Catherine Variety Sheridan Award for her significant contributions to organizations involving children. In 2044, at the age of 71, she and life partner Roger Bagley traveled the United States to educate children in blue collar communities about the importance of an education and how to save money for their future endeavors. In 2045 Ashley traveled to Bihar, India to educate and empower young women through the Freedom from Hunger program, where she was able to educate over 300 women in the areas of Health, Social and Economical Empowerment. In 2046, she moved from Dalton to Gulf Shores Alabama to live out the remainder of her days in the quiet tranquility of the sand beneath her toes and crashing waves of the Gulf. A memorial service will be held at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Thursday morning at 11 am with (Whomever is Rector at that time) officiating. Her ashes will then be taken to the Northwest Georgia Trade and Convention Center where a celebration will be held commemorating all the accomplishments of her life. All are invited to attend. Her ashes will then be flown and scattered over Bryant-Denny Stadium at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa. In lieu of flowers the family wishes to have donations made to the Freedom from Hunger program or St. Mark’s Episcopal Church.

My Increasing Passion For College Football....Genetics??

Growing up, I hated football. I knew that on Saturdays from early September until late November my house would be complete chaos. Screaming, yelling, cussing, and lots and lots of clapping. I once even saw a chair being flung through the back door into the yard. My Dad would get up on Saturdays, put on a maroon sweatsuit and a trucker hat (they were NOT popular back then) with the Alabama "A" on it and proceed to sit there for 12 to 14 hours. Now, this was before the specialty sports channels became so popular, so sometimes he would also have the radio on. I hated it. I was completely ignored and most of the time just a nuisance unless I was bringing him another beer or bag of chips.

In 8th grade, my dad came to watch me "cheer". I can remember us doing a cheer that went.."1st and 10, do it again...move that ball". Well, we did this cheer after a 3rd down play....and our team was playing defense. I know.... Anyway, for the next two weeks I was given a very in depth and thorough explanation of how the game of football was played. Point being, I learned the game of football very young.

This erratic and completely ridiculous behavior also hit me from my Mothers side of the family. My Uncle Bo is as much if not maybe a tiny bit more annoying during a football game than my Dad was. He too is a die hard Alabama fan. Rumor has it, my Dad and Uncle Bo had many a "good" time watching Alabama play football, even after my mom and dad divorced.

All this being said, I have always LIKED football. I love the band, the smell of popcorn and that crisp fall weather. I went to most all of my college games at Ga. Southern and thanks to my 8th grade lesson, followed along with what was going on much better than any other girls I knew. A few years ago I caught myself flipping through the channels on Saturday and STOPPING on ESPN Game Day. It started out as just something to listen to as I did housework or laundry. Over the years it has progressed into...well...erratic and completely ridiculous behavior. I think I am about another two seasons away from body paint. It's not just college, it's high school too. I don't see any other mothers standing up in the stands screaming "Holding? Open you eyes Ref!!!". And I don't even have any kids that play. I also have that very loud impromptu clap that my Dad and uncle Bo have. You don't know when it's coming, it just happens. Could be one or even two claps, but not continuous. I have also inherited the "Stand up Sit Down" action. This behavior is also unforeseen and could happen at any moment. Example:



Something good happens, you stand up, then jump, giving two maybe three big claps and a "Yeah Baby! Whooooohhh".

Something almost good happens, you stand up and then sit down quickly, but shout something like "dumb ass, catch the damn ball".

Something bad happens, you stand up, then shout...well something bad and sit down firmly in a pouty kind of way.

Something almost bad happens, you stand up, clap several times, and sit down.



Lucky for me I have very close family in Tuscaloosa. Games are easily accessible and I always have somewhere to stay. It's great!

We (Bama Folks) have a very big game this weekend. In preparation of this event, I have purchased a new shirt, little "A" face tattoos and a new car flag. Baby daddy and I will be going to Atlanta to watch the game since we can't afford the $1000 to actually go to the game. I wonder... now since my inner annoying football fan behavior has reared it's head, what would my dad and I be like at an Alabama Game? I guess God knows what he's doing. He decided to spare all of you and wait until Dad was watching from above to bring out my inner fan!

"Sure I'd like to beat Notre Dame, don't get me wrong. But nothing matters more than beating that cow college on the other side of the state." Paul Bear Bryant
To a group of boosters before an Auburn game. This comment was widely reported, and Auburn upset the Tide a few days later.

ROLL TIDE!!

I'm Cooler Than This.....

About a year ago, corporate decided that the customer services managers should have "offices". Well, in order to do this they had to take the accounting offices away and put up panels. This is a souped up version of a CUBICLE. We fought it for about a month, but ultimately lost in the end. After having a private office for so long the noise level was just unbearable. I am easily annoyed anyway, but the little noises that people make were making me insane. Clicking of keyboards, hearing other people's conversations, rattling of change in pockets, that clicking noise people make with their mouths when "thinking". I couldn't stand it. The only solution I could come up with, was the purchase of a pair of headphones. So, I got myself a little 2G MP3 player. I downloaded the software and began searching song choices, playlists, albums, whatever.... I brought it to work the next day and as soon as I heard something annoying, I put them on. WOW!!! I was in my on little world. I became quite the guru with my new toy. For my daughters 7th birthday, I bought her an IPOD Nano and downloaded all of "her" music onto it. She listened to it all summer, taking it with her where ever we went. Well, when school started back a few weeks ago, I sort of....well....took her IPOD. It was laying on the counter in the kitchen and had been for 2 weeks untouched, so I figured that she wouldn't miss it anyway. The sound on this thing is ssooooo much better than mine. The screen is bigger, it has little pop up things, it can hold pictures, etc... It's COOL!!!
I have now downloaded all of my music on her IPOD and as soon as I get to work in the morning I put my headphones on and go into my own little world of Journey, Rod Stewart, Poison, Pearl Jam, Pink Floyd and most recently.....Rihanna, Jesse McCartney, Flo Rida, Jordin Sparks, and my favorite right now....Kardinal Offishall's "Dangerous". By lunch I feel like a Solid Gold dancer. My co workers concerns of my unstable mental state has now been confirmed. I can actual dance now in my chair while typing. Now I know why Ellen DeGeneres dances before every show...ITS FUN!!!! I love music, it can take you back to places in your mind that have long been filed away or bring you right back up to current time in seconds. Because of my recent discovery of just how cool I am, I began taking a Hip Hop dance class on Thursday nights when Bryleigh is in Gymnastics at the Arts Guild. It is 6 other women that are about my same age that too have recently realized how cool they are, in spite of what our kids say. It is great exercise and OH SO MUCH FUN!!
You might be wondering how I can concentrate on generating financial statements while listening to "...throw your hands in the Ayer, Ayer, Ayer" but it actually helps me concentrate. Maybe I'm just good at multi-tasking, or my job has now become so monotonus that I don't really have to think anymore. The only bad thing about this is that you ocassionally get interupted. If I am really into the song, and have a good flow going, it brings me out of "Ashleyville". Which is not good.
So, if you are like me and need to "get away" from your surroundings, I highly suggest this purchase. You too could find your inner coolness....put on a pair of headphones and dance like no one is watching!!!