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The Grays Harbor County Sheriff’s Office and the county coroner examined the bones but came up empty. With no solid leads, the case was entered into the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System as Grays Harbor County John Doe, where it eventually slipped into the backlog.
It wasn’t until 2025 that the mystery was finally solved. Forensic evidence was sent to Othram, a Texas-based genetic genealogy company specializing in cold cases. Using advanced DNA analysis and a sample from a relative, Othram confirmed the remains were indeed those of Ed Asher, Fossil’s long-lost mayor.
Asher’s wife, Helen, had passed away in 2018 at the age of 85 after battling cancer. Her obituary notes that Asher’s disappearance left “a large hole in Helen’s heart,” prompting her to return to Condon, Oregon, where the couple had married in 1986.
Asher is survived by his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Helen had been widowed following the death of her first husband in 1980, while Asher had also been married previously, though records do not indicate whether he was widowed before marrying Helen.
Together, the couple built a large blended family that grew to include 21 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren by the time of Helen’s passing. Their family remains a living legacy of the couple’s decades-long commitment to one another and their community.
Beyond his family, Asher was a prominent figure in Fossil, dedicating much of his life to service. He worked nearly 50 years as a lineman for the Fossil Telephone Company, ran the Asher Variety Store, volunteered as a firefighter and ambulance driver, and served a brief term as mayor. He retired in 1995, leaving behind a lasting imprint on the town he loved.
The identification of Asher’s remains closes a chapter on a story that haunted his family and community for nearly two decades. While tragic, the resolution offers a measure of closure for those who remembered him and the life he devoted to Fossil, Oregon.
