Obituary of James Ayres

James R. Ayres, Sr. age 83, of Alta passed away on Sunday, June 11, 2017 at 6:55 pm at Proctor Hospital Unity Point in Peoria. James was born on August 23, 1933 in Peoria the son of Darrell and Margret (Cripe) Ayres. He married Althea Joice Rose Jacobson on May 26, 1956 in McCleary, WA. Surviving are his children: James (Diana) Ayres, Jr. of Pekin, Kathleen (Andrew) Bell of Bartonville, and Jeannie (Frank) Kaps of Dunlap; eleven grandchildren and seven great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, two brothers, and two sisters. James was a U.S. Airborne Ranger with the Army during the Korean War from 1953 to 1956. He was a member of the Chillicothe American Legion Post 9. James worked in maintenance for Peoria School District 150 for over 30 years. When he retired from the school district he then did what he loved to do, he worked as a truck driver hauling grain for Triple U Training for about 10 years. A funeral service will be held on Friday, June 16, 2017 at 11:00 AM at Weber-Hurd Funeral Home in Chillicothe. Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service time at the funeral home. Burial will be held in the Blue Ridge Cemetery near Chillicothe. Memorials may be made to the Dunlap Fire Protection Department. James online memorial website may be viewed at www.weberhurdfuneralhome.com