He prepared for Princeton at the Pomfret School. At Princeton he was an economics major, a member of Cottage Club, and active in crew. Ash roomed with John Ehrenclou, Sandy Halsey, and Chuck Highley.

After two years in Army intelligence, he started work as a stockbroker with Montgomery Scott and Co. In 1970 Ash and his partners formed Delafield Harvey Tabell, an investment-advisory firm; in 1991 they sold the firm to U.S. Trust. Ash fully retired in 2012.

A true steward of the land, he was active in the D & R Greenway Land Trust of Princeton, the Block Island Land Trust, and the Block Island Nature Conservancy. In 2002 he formed the Harvey Family Charitable Foundation to help “those who are hurting.”

Ash died April 29, 2017. His memorial service took place at the Land Trust of Princeton. He was predeceased by his first wife, Isabel; and brothers Denning ’48 and Seth ’55. He is survived by his wife, Marion Dunham Harvey; his children, Ben, Edward, and Julie Esty; seven grandchildren; sister Dorothy Davis; and stepchildren Andrea Riccio and Danny Dunham.