Asa Hickman Jewell was born July 25, 1940, in New York City. His parents were Asa Hickman Jewell II from Lexington, Kentucky and Margaret Loring Jewell from Natick, Massachusetts. When Asa was two years old his family moved to Franklin, Tennessee where Asa spent his growing up years. He spent many happy times with his Tennessee and Kentucky cousins and with his boyhood pals in Franklin.

A highlight of his growing up years was going back north with his family every summer to visit his New England relatives from his mother’s side. His family would travel by train or car and stay on Drakes Island, Maine.  

Asa graduated high school from Battle Ground Academy in Franklin in 1959. He attended Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine for three years and then transferred to The University of Tennessee in Knoxville to complete his Pre-Veterinary Studies. He received his DVM from Auburn University in 1967.

After graduation he worked in Ocala, Florida for six months until he was inducted into the USAF Veterinary Corps as a First Lieutenant in 1968. In the Air Force he was first stationed in Bermuda. From there he went to Vietnam, Vandenberg, CA; Ft. Collins, CO; and Thailand. His Last overseas assignment was at Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. He had a great interest in working at the Military Dog Procurement and Training Center at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He was assigned there in 1976. While stationed there in San Antonio he met Donna Staffeld. She became the love of his life; and they were married June 16, 1979. For their honeymoon Asa and Donna took an extensive driving trip into the interior of Mexico.

After their marriage Asa joined the USDA and the Army Reserves. They moved to Arkansas, then to Ft. Worth, and soon after to Fredericksburg Texas where their daughter, Amy Lynn, was born in 1989. Asa was an older father, and he enjoyed every minute of fatherhood. The family moved to Kerrville in 1993.

Asa loved to travel. He was always grateful for the travel opportunities the military gave him. He worked in Honduras and in Germany while in the Army Reserves. Asa and Donna were able to visit Europe, Hawaii, Alaska and Canada. They especially enjoyed National and State parks and historical sites.

Asa enjoyed running most of his life. He was a miler and a cross-country runner in high school and at Bowdoin. He completed running three different marathons, and entered many shorter races winning awards. He was a member of the Kerrville Trailblazers and enjoyed walking as well.

He loved to read—especially history and historical fiction. During retirement he was a member in Sons of the American Revolution, AMVETS, and Vietnam Veterans of America. He was also a volunteer at the VA Hospital in Kerrville.

Kindness, patience, and fairness were intense attributes inborn in Asa. These things always came first in his decision making. He leaves behind his wife, Donna, daughter Amy Lynn, two sisters in California, Tisa and Mary and his middle sister, Margi, in Kentucky, as well as many nephews and nieces and cousins whom he always thought fondly of and remembered often.

Memorial services will be held 3:00 PM, Thursday, March 5, 2026 at the First Presbyterian Church of Kerrville with Rev. Jasiel Hernandez Garcia officiating.

Memorial gifts or donations may be made to Greenpeace, National Geographic, or your local animal shelter.

Services with integrity, pride, and honor are under the direction of Kerrville Funeral Home. (830) 895-5111