Chip Saxton, 41, Ashby, MN

Chip Saxton, 41, of Ashby, died Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2008, at his home in rural Ashby.

Chip was born on July 11, 1966, in Hopkins, to LeRoy and Darlene (Sauer) Saxton. He attended school in Elbow Lake and graduated from Elbow Lake High School.

On January 9, 1995, Chip married Dawn Langbehn in Cancun, Mexico. The couple lived on Pelican Lake near Ashby.

Chip had a passion for life and was fully immersed in living each day. He loved being a father to his sons and acting in a similar role to their friends, and he so enjoyed spending time with his nephews and nieces. Whether being with the kids, hunting, or fishing, snowmobiling, riding motorcycle, hiking — Chip was always on the move — he liked to play.

He and his family loved sitting around bonfires on the lake and had visited Disney Land and the Black Hills of South Dakota on family vacations just last year. He was so proud of his sons and their involvement in football and basketball.

Chip was also a second-generation “Culligan Man” having become a franchise owner following the death of his father in 2006.

He had been a part of the business his entire adult life and was well-known in Elbow Lake and the surrounding communities.

A smile on his face, a friendly wave as he passed by, his practical jokes, all will be sadly missed by those who loved and knew Chip.

He was a wonderful, loving husband and father, a good and faithful friend.

Survivors include his wife, Dawn; and sons, Sean and Gavin, all of rural Ashby; his mother Darlene Saxton of Elbow Lake; sisters Debbie (David) Stoks of Porter, Shelley Saxton (fiance Kirby Anderson) of Fergus Falls, and Tammy (Jay) Sheldon of Elbow Lake; one brother, Mike (Gail) Saxton of Portland, Ore.; several nieces, nephews; and a host of extended family and beloved friends.

Chip was preceded in death by his father, LeRoy Saxton.

Visitation: Friday from 5 to 7 p.m., with a prayer service at 7 p.m., at the church

Service: 11 a.m. Saturday, at First Presbyterian Church, Ashby

Clergy: Rev. Bill Gilbert

Burial: St. Loretto’s Catholic Cemetery, Elbow Lake

Funeral Home: Erickson-Smith Funeral Home, Elbow Lake