Joe Thomas Ayers

Funeral services for Joe Thomas Ayers will be held 2:00PM Tuesday, Nov 29, 2016 at the First Baptist Church of Davis with Pastor Dale Ruggles and Retired Oklahoma State Trooper, Roy Rogers officiating. Interment, with military honors, will follow at the Green Hill Cemetery in Davis.
Joe was born Nov 4, 1931 in Davis to the late Jeff Morton and Jewell Dee (Meyers) Ayers. He died Thursday, Nov 24, 2016 in Ardmore, at the age of 85 years and 20 days. Joe and the former Shirley Maxine Hale were married on May 15, 1959 in Marietta, OK. She preceded him in death on Jan 19, 1993. On Nov 1, 1996, Joe and Dana (Brooks) Rose were married in Davis.
Joe grew up in Davis and was a 1950 graduate of Davis High School. In January 1952 he enlisted in the United States Army, serving during the Korean Conflict. He was honorably discharged from active service on December 2, 1953 and joined the Army Reserves, being fully discharged from the Army in February 1960. Joe spent several years working for Sun Drilling Company of Ardmore prior to his military service and immediately following his service. In 1967, Joe began a career in law enforcement with the City of Davis. Early in his career, he left for a couple years and worked for Webb Construction in the oil field, only to return to law enforcement. Joe then spent 18 years with the Davis Police Department, retiring in 1988 as Police Chief. After retiring from Davis, he worked as a Deputy for the Murray County Sheriff’s Department for five years, only to return to the Davis Police Department in 1995 as Chief for a year. He again “retired” on Dec 31, 1996 from the position of Chief. Two weeks later, the new chief, Darryl McCurtain, hired him back as an officer for the Davis Police Department, where he spent an additional eight years as an officer, both in town and at Turner Falls Park. Following his final retirement from the Davis Police Department, Joe could not stay idle. He worked briefly for Wal-Mart and as a Foster Grandparent at the Davis Elementary School. In 2009, Joe returned once again to law enforcement and worked as a Security Guard at the Chickasaw Cultural Center in Sulphur, where he was working at the time of his death.
Joe Tom Ayers was a very highly respected officer of the law not only by his fellow officer, but by the people he protected and served. He believed in the Golden Rule and that was exactly how he spent his years in law enforcement. He was fair and just. He ruled with authority, yet had compassion for everyone. In his spare time, he enjoyed being with family, buying and selling vehicles and collecting coins. In addition to his career in law enforcement, Joe spent 20+ years as a volunteer member of the Davis Fire Dept, seven years as a reserve deputy for the Murray County Sheriff’s Dept and a member of the First Christian Church of Davis.
Survivors include his loving wife Dana and her family, which he dearly loved; four step-sons, Darryl Rose & wife Tricia of Wynnewood, Byron Rose & wife Bridgett of Columbus, OH, Glenn Rose & wife Alicia of Davis and James Rose & wife Dayna of Moore; 12 grandchildren, Rakel Rose, Jessica Davis, Jeremy Pearce, Justin Goodman, Ethan Rose, Keeley Rose, Hannah Rose, Megan Rose, Caleb Rose, Zackery Thomas Rose, Eric Rose and Danielle Rose; five great-grandchildren; one sister, Dorothy Shumaker of Davis; sister in law, Barbara (Hale) Beal; two brothers in law, Mack (Sonny) Hale & wife Carolyn and Glenn (Diddle) Hale & wife Judy, all of Dougherty; 10 nieces & nephews, Suzanne Patel & husband Yogi, Steve Shumaker, Eddie Mosley, Karen Sosebee, Shane Hale & wife Kim, Rhett Hale & wife Becky, Brandy Claxton & husband Keith, John Rheed Hale, Bree Roady & husband Justin and Sunee Lynn Gibson & husband Ryan; as well as several great nieces & nephews including Terra Parsons & husband Matt, Jeffrey, Kristi, Sierra & Sean Patel and Waymon & Lily Parsons
In addition to his parents and first wife, Shirley; Joe was preceded in death by his step-mother, Alice Ayers; one sister, Barbara Ann Ayers; niece, Candy Ayers and brother in law, John Shumaker.
Serving as pallbearers will be Steve Shumaker, Yogi Patel, Jeffery Patel, Sean Patel, Eddie Mosley, Shane Hale, Rhett Hale and John Rheed Hale. Honorary bearers will be Darryl McCurtain, Darryl Rose, Byron Rose, Glenn Rose, James Rose and his fellow officers of the Chickasaw Cultural Center.
The family will receive friends at the funeral home on Monday evening from 6:00 – 7:00 PM

11/26/2016
10:00 AM
06:00 PM
Viewing
Hale's Funeral Home
202 South 4th Street
Davis
OK
73030



11/27/2016
01:00 PM
06:00 PM
Visitation
Hale's Funeral Home
202 South 4th Street
Davis
OK
73030



11/28/2016
09:00 AM
07:00 PM
Viewing
Hale's Funeral Home
202 South 4th Street
Davis
OK
73030



11/28/2016
06:00 PM
07:00 PM
Visitation
Hale's Funeral Home
202 South 4th Street
Davis
OK
73030



11/29/2016
02:00 PM

Funeral
First Baptish Church

Davis
OK
73030