Hazel Mary Pauline Ayers, of Crocker, was born on October 11, 1931, at Haskell, Arkansas, a daughter of James Elmer and Gilda Mae (Brown) Lewis, and departed this life at 11:55 p.m., Wednesday, August 28, 2013, at her residence near Crocker. Mrs. Ayers had been in failing health and had attained the age of 81 years, 10 months, and 17 days.

Mrs. Ayers was united in marriage on March 25, 1969, at Las Vegas, Nevada to Jim Lee Ayers. She was preceded in death by her husband on August 21, 2007; her father in 1965; her mother in 1953; one grandson, Clarence Jimmy Lee Goodwin; seven brothers and four sisters.

Mrs. Ayers was a member of the Hilltop Christian Union Church, Crocker; the Order of Eastern Star, Hansen Chapter Number 22, Waynesville; the Disabled Veterans, Crocker and was a lifetime member of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, Crocker. Mrs. Ayers had worked as a cook and waitress as well as being a loving and devoted homemaker. She was a wonderful mother and grandmother and enjoyed spending every minute with her family.

Those left to mourn the passing of Mrs. Ayers include: one son and daughter-in-law, Charles and Debra Goodwin, Portsmouth, Virginia; three daughters and sons-in-law, Gilda and Tom Stevens, Dinuba, California; Mary and Ed Poulson and Sidney Diane and Bert Whittle, all of Crocker; three step-daughters, Nancy, Colleen and Terry, all of the state of California; one brother and sister-in-law, Doyle and Dorothy Lewis, Benton, Arkansas; brothers-in-law, Frank Ayers and wife, Nancy, Dinuba, California and Billy Ayers and wife, Louise, Visalia, California; nine grandchildren; twenty-eight great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and other relatives and friends.

Order of Eastern Star services were held for Mrs. Ayers at 7:00 p.m., Monday, September 2, 2013, in the Long-Kloeppel Funeral Chapel, Crocker.

Funeral services were conducted for Mrs. Ayers at 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, September 3, 2013, in the Long-Kloeppel Funeral Chapel, Crocker, with Bro. Billy Claiborn, Hilltop Christian Union Church, Crocker, officiating.

Interment was in the Crocker Public Cemetery under the direction of the Long-Kloeppel Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Crocker. Pallbearers for Mrs. Ayers were Charles Goodwin II, Berton Whittle II, Daniel Whittle, Joseph White, Jim Burney and Chandler Whittle. Honorary pallbearers were Scotty Stevens, Jimmy Poulson, Jonathan Goodwin, Matthew Goodwin and Tommy Stevens.

Memorial contributions are suggested by the family to the Crocker Public Cemetery Perpetual Care Fund with envelopes available at the Long-Kloeppel Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Crocker.