Janet “Tootsie” Ashbaugh, 84, of Symsonia, Kentucky, passed away on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at Baptist Health Hospital of Paducah, Kentucky.
Janet was the third born of four children, born to the late Joseph and Janet Morrison Tobolik, on April 25, 1941, in Chicago, Illinois. After relocating to Kentucky in 1970, Janet met and married the love of her life, Warren Ashbaugh. Not one to have lived a soft life growing up, Janet’s move to Kentucky not only yielded a wonderful marriage, but also the accomplishment of being the first woman in Graves County to be hired by the Board of Education as a custodian for the Graves County School system. She carried this honor proudly during a time when women’s equality was a relatively new concept.
Janet was a homebody and loved the atmosphere she built within the walls of her home. She would spend her time listening to 70s genre music, especially ABBA, and dancing around the house. She enjoyed a good crossword puzzle and watching old westerns. She was partial to any western featuring John Wayne. When she wasn’t watching cowboys save the day, she was watching University of Kentucky Wildcats Basketball games. She made sure to always catch as many games as she could.
Janet came off as tough and rough around the edges, but carried a very big and generous heart. She was an ardent giver who donated anonymously and faithfully to a local Baptist Church and to one of our local schools. She was also passionate about donating to the Veterans’ Administration. This was a way to honor her late husband’s military service and all those who have served.
Janet valued family. After losing her husband and both of her sons, she made sure to maintain close connections with her sisters. She would host gatherings at her home for her sisters, and they would revel in each other's company and memories. Along with the quality time together, they loved to eat and laugh, always ordering from Portillo’s Italian Beef Restaurant and a Junior’s Cheesecake, which was sure to be a nostalgic reminder of their childhood in Chicago.
Janet is survived by one sister, Wilma Weinreich of Phoenix, Arizona; two nephews, Clay Brown and Terry Tobolik; and two nieces, Linda Millar and Bonnie Bishop.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Warren Ashbaugh; two sons, Joseph Miller and Shane Ashbaugh; one sister, Mary Brown; one brother, Joe Tobolik; and her parents, Joseph and Janet Morrison Tobolik.
There are no services scheduled at this time.
Filbeck-Cann Funeral Home of Milner & Orr is in charge of arrangements.
