Virgil Paul Ayers Obituary (1929 - 2021)

Virgil Paul Ayers passed away peacefully in his home on July 24, 2021 of natural causes. Virgil was born on October 9, 1929, in Lewiston, Idaho to Lester and Lucy Alice Pearson Ayers, one of ten children. He spent his childhood on their small farm milking cows and helping his father raise horses. He attended Lewiston High School excelling in industrial arts. Sports paid his tuition at Northern Idaho College of Education. In his first semester, he used his farm muscles to make the football team and led the team in sacks. In his second semester, he made the gymnastics team competing on the parallel bars, rings, and floor. He lettered in both sports. In May 1950, he enlisted in the Marine Corps. By 1951 he was deployed to Korea. He served as a Sargent, fixing communication lines. He was blessed to survive many incidents which in turn strengthened his faith. Upon returning to Camp Pendleton, a beautiful young woman, Betty LaRue Guild, caught his eye. They were married 3 days after he was discharged, June 1, 1954. They immediately moved back to Lewiston to raise their family. They were later sealed together in the Salt Lake Temple, of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, to their three children. He used his experience in Korea to get a good job stringing communication lines for the phone company which he retired from after 28 years. By that time, his kids and grandkids had moved to Salt Lake City and so he followed to be close to them. After retirement, with the help of his brothers, he built his own home in Murray, UT while working for ZCMI. Unable to stay retired, he later worked for Murray City maintaining the Jordan River Parkway Trail behind his home and was a beloved crossing guard for the local school for 12 years. Virgil loved working in his garden and growing beautiful flowers. He was a life-long scouter earning the highest award in scouting: the Silver Beaver. He bought a large motorhome to take his whole family on deep-sea fishing trips. He also enjoyed woodworking and making furniture, having made a hope chest for all his granddaughters. In his later years, he enjoyed traveling with his family to Europe. Two of his grandchildren also became war veterans and when they came home with war stories, he finally opened up about his own. Then he told them to everyone who would listen. He loved to talk to people. At your age, you were entitled to be grumpy and we loved you anyway. Virgil is survived by his siblings: JoAnn Ruddel (Dell), Wayne Ayers (Roberta), Lonnie Ayers (Uvonne), and Jeannine Booth, his children: Ron Ayers (Peggy), Lonnie Ayers and Deanne Ashbocker (Mark), his grandchildren: Rebecca Pryor (Paul), Paul Ayers (Brittany), Aubree Riggsby (Michael), Daniel Ashbocker, Brett Ashbocker (Ashley), and Shannon Austin (Andrew), as well as 12 great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his wife, parents, and siblings: Elvin, Burton, Cora, Dick, and Gordon. Thank you to Wendy, Michelle, Katie, and Haley at Inspiration Hospice for their loving care and for all the thoughts and prayers we have felt from loved ones. Thank you. The viewing will be held at Jenkins-Soffe Funeral Home located at 4760 South State Street, Murray, Utah on Wednesday, July 28, 2021, from 6 to 8 pm. A viewing will also be held at Virgil’s ward building at 932 West Greenoaks Dr. Murray, Utah at 10:00 am on Thursday, July 29, 2021, immediately followed by the funeral services at 11:00 am in the same building.