William Eugene Fast, 87, of Ashland, passed away early Friday, January 30, 2026, on his birthday (just 87 and heading to heaven) at Lutheran Village after a brief illness. He died peacefully after being able to say his goodbyes to everyone in his family.
Bill was born on January 30, 1939, in Savannah, Ohio, the son of Eugene and Gertrude Fast. He graduated from Savannah High School in 1957 and then from Andrews Barber College in Toledo, Ohio. He barbered in Mansfield for 45 years.
On February 9, 1939, he married his childhood sweetheart, Dana Lea Fast. They were married 62 years until she passed in 2020.
Bill attended West Main Grace Brethren Church for over 50 years where he taught Sunday School for a number of those years. He loved his Lord and Savior and faithfully followed him since he was a young man.
He loved spending time with his family, and especially going to all the basketball, football, baseball, and soccer games he could get to. He himself was quite an athlete, a star player for the Savannah Sailors, and inducted into the Ashland County Sports Hall of Fame. As an adult, golfing was his passion and spent a great deal of time instructing kids in the Brookside youth league.
Surviving are three children- Tammy L. (Fast) Koser (Rick), Brad E. Fast (Heather), and Brian E. Fast. He had seven grandchildren- Nick Fast (Brittany), Cathy Vermilya, Nate Koser (Kristy), Kaley Dyer (Brad), Brandon Fast (Stephanie), Cody Fast, and Josiah (Tori) Koser. He also had 13 great-grandchildren with one on the way and the first great-great-grandchild due this summer. In addition, one sister, Frances Jason survives.
Besides his wife, he was preceded in death by both his parents and a sister, Lenora May Fast.
Funeral services will be held at that Heyl Funeral Home on Friday, February 6 ,2026 at 11:00 am with Pastor Dan Allan officiating. Friends may visit with the family on Friday, February 6 from 10:00 am till 11:00 am at the funeral home. Interment will be in the Chestnut Grove Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family would ask that memorial contributions be made to Pathways Hospice of Ashland.
Online condolences may be left for the family by visiting www.heylfuneralhome.com
Heyl Funeral Home is assisting the family with funeral arrangements.
Funeral Home: Heyl Funeral Home
Website: .heylfuneralhome.com