HAMPTON — Ashton J. Norton, 85, of 175 Mill Road, died Wednesday, Sept. 14, 2005, at SunBridge of Portsmouth.

Mr. Norton was born in Exeter on Sept. 6, 1920, the son of the late Myron J. and Alice E. (Welch) Norton. A lifelong Hampton resident, he was always active in community affairs.

He was a veteran of World War II serving in the US Navy.

He worked many years as an electric welder at the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, retiring in the late 1960s. He also owned a Laundromat and 10 rental cottages on Hampton's North Beach.

Mr. Norton was a boat builder, making more than 70 skiffs. He worked with Fiberglas and covered the steeple of Hampton's First Congregational Church when it was taken down for restoration in the 1980s.

Mr. Norton served the town of Hampton as a state representative, was a three-term selectman, a member of the Municipal Budget Committee and a cemetery trustee, and passed many hours discussing the issues of the town at Marelli's Market in Hampton Center. Gov. Meldrim Thomson also appointed him to the board of the N.H. Port Authority where he served for 15 years.

He was an avid duck hunter. He was also a member of Hamptons' American Legion Post 35.

Family members include his wife of 64 years, Betty (Pierce) Norton of Hampton; two sons, David J. Norton of Salisbury, Mass. and James A. Norton and his wife, Marlene, of Hampton; a granddaughter, Carrie O'Neil and three grandsons, Allan Scholtz Jr., Richard Scholtz, and William Scholtz; and eight great-grandchildren.

SERVICES: Calling hours are Friday, Sept. 16, from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. at the Remick & Gendron Funeral Home-Crematory, 811 Lafayette Road, Hampton. Services will be held Saturday at 11 a.m. at the funeral home. Burial will be in the High Street Cemetery, Hampton.