Thomas L. Ashbridge III, former MFH of the Huntingdon Valley Hunt (Pa.), died on June 12. He was 85.

Born in Bucks County, Pa., Mr. Ashbridge graduated from the Wharton School of Economics at the University of Pennsylvania in 1948. He served in the U.S. Air Force during World War II in the Pacific Theater as a lead navigator and bombardier in a B29 squadron, rising to the rank of major. After serving in the Air Force, he worked as an investment executive for Kidder Peabody in Philadelphia, Pa.

Mr. Ashbridge found his love for horses and hounds at an early age. Throughout his life he pursued this passion up and down the East Coast. Mr. Ashbridge and his wife Sally, who died in 2003, also enjoyed hunting in England and Ireland.

He was MFH for 17 years with the Huntingdon Valley Hunt. After retiring in 1982, Mr. Ashbridge moved to Clarke County, Va., where he and his wife campaigned a number of steeplechase horses, including The Snowflaker and Bobsingstheblues. They won the Virginia Gold Cup (Va.) in 1984 with their horse Double Sparkle, who was named 1984 Timber Horse of the Year.

Mr. Ashbridge, Boyce, Va., also served as a trustee of the Marion duPont Scott Equine Center at Morven Park (Va.).

Mr. Ashbridge is survived by his son, Thomas L. Ashbridge IV, of Richmond, Va., his daughter Elizabeth A. Kreider, of Sykesville, Md., four grandchildren and one great-granddaughter.

Memorial donations may be made to the Marion duPont Scott Equine Medical Center, 17690 Old Waterford Rd., Leesburg, VA 20176.