Sadly, he was overcome with several serious illnesses that attributed to his death.
He and his wife of 55 years, Sandra Mullins Ayers, both grew up in Jackson, Tennessee, only a month apart. They have two children, Amy Ayers Mahoney (Shannon), and John Andrew Ayers. He had two grandsons, Matthew Weldon Mahoney and Daniel James Mahoney.
His parents were James Lloyd Ayers, Sr. and Launa Raley Fleming.
His is also survived by his siblings, William "Bill" Thomas Ayers, Carol Ayers Sells, and Laurie Henderson.
He was preceded in death by his brothers, James Lloyd Ayers, Jr. and Danny Ray Ayers (who was killed in Vietnam) and his beloved sister, Connie Ayers Brown.
He served two tours in the Army as Sgt. E-5 in Cu Chi, South Vietnam, in the 4th & 23rd Infantry of the 25th Division. He also ran the ECO club.
He enjoyed spending time with his grandsons, had a great sense of humor. He loved spending time with our wonderful neighbors, Randy and Val Golden. He was an awesome cook (never used a recipe), he loved his coffee every morning. He enjoyed gardening, playing free game slots, and enjoyed activities at Central Church.
He will be buried, at a later date, in the West Tennessee National Cemetery in Memphis.
Service will be held on Wednesday, July 5, at Memphis Funeral Home, 5599 Poplar Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee, with visitation beginning 11:00 AM and service at 12:00 Noon. Service will be performed by Pastor Gene Sauls.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.MemphisFuneralPoplar.com for the Ayers family.
