James Jay Ayers

Born September 1, 1948, in Inglewood, California, to Harold Eugene and Geraldine Virginia (Miles) Ayers.  Died March 26 in Bentonville, Arkansas.  Between those two events, he lived.  Growing up in southern California, Jim enjoyed surfing and meeting girls.  He also played golf and tennis, and learned to fly.  He graduated from Sierra High School in Whittier.  In 1972 he moved to northern Minnesota to become part owner of Bay View Lodge, a fishing resort on Lake Vermilion.  He spent a couple of winters as a ski bum in Colorado, then married Lori Ann Heikila who had worked as a cabin girl at Bay View.  The couple moved back to California where Jim completed his education at Cal Poly Pomona, then relocated to Phoenix, AZ, where he worked for Honeywell as a systems analyst until he took an early retirement.  When he and his wife parted ways, Jim moved to northern California and took up whitewater rafting and listening to music.  More than anything Jim enjoyed playing the jester.  His chosen role in life was to sit back and observe everything around him and make jokes about it.  He gave us a constant mix of humor and social commentary for which he will always be remembered.  Jim is survived by his mother Geraldine, and two sisters, Jacqueline Geddes of Chattanooga, TN and Sheryl Stephens of Bella Vista, AR, all formerly of Lake Vermilion. He was preceded in death by his father.