Obituary of Spurgeon Ayers

Mr. Spurgeon Theodore Ayers, Jr., 85, of Greensboro, died Sunday, June 27, 2010 at Cone Hospital. The family will receive friends on Thursday, July 1, from 6 until 8 p.m. at Lambeth-Troxler Funeral Home. Funeral services will be at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, July 2 at Tabernacle Baptist Church with Pastor Jim Cates officiating. Burial will follow at Forest Lawn Cemetery. Mr. Ayers was born in Lexington, N.C. to Spurgeon Ayers and Ola Bertha Brown. He is survived by his wife of 57 years, Kathryn Sink Ayers; his daughters, Suzan Ayers Antin (Jon) of Greensboro and Teressa Ayers Adams (Bill) of Mayodan; his son, Spurgeon Ayers, III. of Greensboro; five grandchildren; and his brother, Jacob Ayers, of Louisville, KY and a stepbrother, Jim Barger of Lexington, NC. He was predeceased by his parents, his stepmother, Blanche Yarborough Barger Ayers; his sister, Dulcie Ayers Epley, and his brothers, Don and Joseph Ayers. Mr. Ayers served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II and saw combat on Okinawa. He received his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Western Carolina University and taught business, physical education, and driver's education in the Greensboro Public Schools for 30 years, working at Central Junior High, Smith and Dudley High Schools. For most of his career, he coached football, basketball and baseball, working with the outstanding athletes who attended Smith High School in the 1960's and 1970's. He sang in his church choir for many years. After retirement, he was one of the founding members of the Marine Air Group 61, volunteered for the DAV, and taught Montagnard refugees to drive. He was a doting grandfather to Alana, Cory, Jonathan, William, and Joseph, and will be sorely missed by his family and friends. Memorials can be made to Tabernacle Baptist Church's Mission Fund, 1201 South Aycock Street, Greensboro, 27403 or Palliative Care Unit of Moses Cone Hospital, 1200 N Elm Street, Greensboro, 27401.