Dear Blogger,
Many thanks to Alyson Lister for this tribute to the late.
CHRIS AYERS
Ruyton XI Towns is a village which relies upon the kindness, generosity and effort that members of our community devote to making it 'home'. We have recently lost a dear and longstanding special friend and community member Chris Ayers whose friendship and capacity for making good things happen will be greatly missed by so many of us. Chris and Ian her husband moved to Ruyton in 1976 and while Ian became a Parish Councillor and went on to be the Chairman, Chris performed the parish Council Clerk duties for some years. They raised their family but in retirement Ian's health deteriorated due to diabetes and heart trouble as a result of which he had to have a heart and kidney transplant. Sadly after a very long and difficult period he passed away. Chris went on to devote a huge amount of time to assisting the Parochial Church Council of which she became Secretary and to caring for and raising funds for St John the Baptist Church, Ruyton where she was a regular member of the congregation and was often one of the bell-ringers. Her co-ordination of church coffee mornings, maintenance of the grounds, harvest festival lunch and running the diabetic support group she and Ian had set up at a local hospital are legendary. These are however only a few of the good works she factored into her daily life. Chris was also a staunch supporter of the local Women's Institute of which she became President and Secretary more than once over her time with them. The group steadily gathered strength of numbers and flourished as a result of friendships forged during her membership. She would welcome new members and go to great pains to introduce them to everyone and make connections between individuals. Chris suffered not only the tragic loss of her beloved Ian but their beloved daughter Lynn who passed away after battling cancer. Throughout the darkest of times she maintained an extraordinarily stoic attitude to life changing events. She never complained or lost her faith and would often just smile and say "It is what it is". She just kept doing kindnesses and making the difference she was so good at in her beautifully unassuming, quiet way. Always outwardly cheerful, with a wonderful smile and a positive, kind, encouraging word for everyone she encountered. It has been said that Chris embodied Mrs Ruyton XI Towns, she cared so deeply about her family, her friends, the community, the Church and the Village. She invested heart, soul, compassion, impartiality and a lovely sense of humour into everything she did and will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her. Chris will be laid to rest with Ian and Lynn after a service at St John the Baptist Church Ruyton at midday on Tuesday 17the October. Those who can attend are invited by her family to join them after the service at Nesscliffe Village Hall. It is requested that there should be family flowers only and donations are encouraged to New Start Charity based at Wythenshawe Hospital, Lingen Davies Unit at The Royal Shrewsbury Hospital and St John the Baptist Church Ruyton. ................ I have attached a larger version of the lovely image of Chris, contributed by Margaret Lycett, taken at the 100th anniversary of Ruyton XI Towns W.I. And this was the notice which appeared in the Shropshire Star last Saturday, 7th October. AYERS, Sylvia Christine (Chris) of Ruyton XI Towns Passed away on September 20th aged 77years Wife of the late Ian, Mum to Pam, Lynn, Rachel and Andrew. Funeral Service on Tuesday October 17th at 12noon at St. John the Baptist church, Ruyton XI Towns Family flowers only please. Donations if desired to be divided between St. John the Baptist Church, the Lingen Davies Cancer Appeal and New Start Wythenshawe Transplant Unit, for which purpose a collection box will be provided in Church.
