Barbara Jones Ayers – Veteran

Barbara Ayers, age 97 of Wolfeboro, NH passed away on Monday, September 26th 2016 at Mountain View Community in Ossipee.          .

She was born on Feb. 20, 1919 in Salem, MA, the daughter of Bertrand Ropes and Doris Lougee Symonds of Salem and Marblehead, MA.

She attended Salem High School, graduating in 1936 and went on to Colby Sawyer College in New London, NH graduating in 1938. After college she moved to Boston and lived on Beacon Hill while working at the Boston Safe Deposit and Trust Co.  In 1942, she enlisted in the WACC and did her basic training at Presque Isle, ME.  After being promoted to Sergeant she was posted to Hickham Field in Honolulu, Hawaii, where she requested the motor pool because she enjoyed driving anything with wheels!  Her tour there involved driving various dignitaries, USO performers and high ranking army personnel around the base and Hawaii.  Her cousin Robert Johnson also of Salem, MA was stationed there for a while and together they enjoyed many memorable moments. After being discharged in 1944 she returned to Boston.

During this time she would take the ski train from Boston to North Conway and spent nearly a year skiing and racing. Barbara spent a great deal of the time skiing with the Salem Ski Busters.  She climbed and skied many mountains before ski lifts, such as Cannon Mt., Wildcat and Waterville Valley.  She especially loved climbing and skiing Tuckerman’s Ravine on Mt. Washington.

 She married Thomas Burnham Jones of Haverhill, MA at the Tabernacle Church on October 5, 1946 and they had their wedding reception at the famed Hamilton Hall in Salem.  They had 3 wonderful children, Richard Burnham born in 1948, Robyn born in 1950 and Wendy Lee born in 1951. They lived in and enjoyed many quaint New England villages and towns.

She was living in Danvers, MA and working when her husband passed away. Barbara later bought a home on Keewaydin Point, Winter Harbor on Lake Winnipesaukee in Wolfeboro, NH and moved there permanently in 1973 to be near her extended family.  While living there she worked for the Ladies Elk Shop and was a generous volunteer at Huggins Hospital.  B.J. joined Kingswood Golf Club in her sixties and loved the game, especially enjoying several holes- in- one on the old ninth hole!  Between working, swimming, boating, golfing, playing bridge, travelling, volunteering and hiking the mountains in the area, she enjoyed a great, warm and rewarding social life.

 She met Raymond H. Ayers, formerly of Danvers, MA at the golf club and they were subsequently married at the Water Village Church in Ossipee in December of 1991. She moved to Pine River Pond in Wakefield.  In addition to Kingswood, they also joined Golf at Province Lake and enjoyed that club. Summers were spent planting many species and varieties of trees, plants, vegetables and flowers in addition to swimming and boating.  They were able to enjoy some of the winter months travelling to the Caribbean islands which she loved.   B.J. loved downhill and cross country skiing and snowmobiling. She was an avid reader who loved music and dancing.

 She was predeceased by her husbands, Thomas B. Jones of MA, and Raymond H. Ayers of NH and also her brother, Arthur Symonds of MA.   Barbara is survived by three children, Dr. Richard B. Jones (and his wife, Jane- deceased) of Frederick, CO, Robyn, (and her husband Ronald) of Far Hills, NJ and Wendy L. Jones of Amesbury, MA.  She is also survived by her granddaughter Brittan Lougee Binder of Far Hills, NJ.  She also has cousins and many nieces and nephews and their children.

A Memorial Service in Celebration of her Life will be held on Saturday, December 3rd , 2016 at 2:00 at the All Saints’ Episcopal Church, 258 South Main Street, Wolfeboro, NH 03894.

 In memoriam, donations may be made to the Lakes Region Humane Society, 11, Old Rt. 28, Ossipee, NH 03864.

Lord Funeral Home, Wolfeboro, NH is in charge of arrangements.  If you wish to express condolences or leave a fond memory please visit, www.lordfuneralhome.com.

 Service Information