Susan Ayers

Susan E. Ayers age 60 of New Hampton, Iowa died Saturday September 16, 2017 at her home. Funeral services will be held 3:00 p.m. Friday, September 22, 2017, at The Chickasaw Event Center, New Hampton with Pastor Cory Orr, Chris Rygh, and Chip Uhrmacher officiating. Friends may greet the family 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. Thursday, September 21, 2017, at Hugeback - Johnson Funeral Home in New Hampton. Visitation continues an hour prior to the service at the Chickasaw Event Center on Friday. Susan Elizabeth Ayers was born September 27, 1956, in Chicago Heights, IL, the daughter of Walter (Martha) Edmisten. She attended school in Olympia Fields, IL, and was the 1974 valedictorian of Rich Central High School. Sue continued her studies at Iowa State University, where she earned an Family Science Degree. At a social function at Iowa State, she was introduced to Leland Ayers and the couple were married June 3, 1978, at Faith Protestant Church in Park Forest, IL. The couple initially moved to Pocahontas, Iowa for Lee's first teaching position at Havelock - Plover. They then moved to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa where Lee began teaching in Danville and from there they moved to New Hampton in 1983 when Lee took a teaching position and have lived here since. Sue spent her time as a homemaker and took care of the three dogs that they had over the years. Sue enjoyed walking, baking, traveling with Lee, reading the bible, flower gardening, and bowling. Church activities were a key part of Sue's life. Sue had many health complications stemming from Type 1 diabetes beginning at age 11. In 1986, she became one of the earliest recipients in the nation of a kidney-pancreas double transplant. And when the first kidney began to fail, she received the gift of life from her sister-in-law, Eileen Edmisten, in 2000. She was an advocate for organ donation because of how dramatically it changed her life. Sue is survived by her husband of 39 years, Leland Ayers of New Hampton, IA; brother, Walter Edmisten of Park Forest, IL; sister, Christine Meyer of Crete, IL; nieces and nephews, Colette (Jim) Edmisten - Williams, Jessica Meyer, and Jonathan (Jovan) Meyer. She was preceded in death by her parents; two brothers, David and Jeffrey Edmisten.