Gladys M- Ayers Gladys Marguerite Ayers died on Thursday, September 7, in Olympia. She was 91 and had lived in Shelton 28 years. She was born on November 27, 1914 in Mc- Clave, Colorado, to Claire J. and Julia L. Miles. She taught all eight grades in a two-room, log-cabin school» house in Hasty, Colorado, during the Dust Bowl. The job included teaching, clean- ing and stoking a Wood fire to heat the build- ing. If she hadn’t received a scholar- ship for having been valedictorian of her 1932 high~school class in Bent County High School, Coloe redo, she wouldn‘t have been able to go to college to fulfill her lifelong ambition of becoming a certified teacher. Her father wanted her to stay and help with farm work during the Great Depression, but her mother insisted her education would be a good investment. Her father sold a horse to help finance her education. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Greely Teachers‘ Col- lege and taught in Salt Lake City, Utah, for six years. Newspapers in Salt Lake City printed articles featuring her innovative teaching, especially for helping her students build an actual log cabin in their classroom. While earning a master’s degree at Columbia University Teach- ers’ College in New York City, she taught at Barnard School for Boys, a large, private school. She was offered a principalship in Salt Lake City and to head Co- lumbia’s College of Teacher Educa- tion, the largest teachers’ college in the country. In those days female teachers had to sign contracts that they would not marry. Instead, she chose to- marine F. -Emest Ayer‘ay a soldier. who was transferred to Fort Meyers, Florida. They wed on March 27‘ 1945, Gladys M- Ayers . After World War II 7th W" in Estancia, New Meidcofyvdh‘eig Mr. Ayers and his father practiced law. They later moved to Corvallis Oregon. Mrs. Ayers taught in Al: bany, Oregon, for three years. They and Naturalization. Servic Mrs. Ayers taught third {grafdendctl Dunlap Elementary School for 12 \M\., years before retiring to Shelton. Mrs. Ayers was a member of the United Methodist Church of Shel- ton. She and her husband were active in church and community affairs. She taught Sunday school and was the Shelton United Meth- odist chair for 17 years. She re- ceived the United Methodist Wom- en’s highest honor, a flaming gold cross pin. The Ayerses were mem— bers of the Rhododendron Society and traveled to every continent, even Antarctica. She was preceded in death by Mr. Ayers on December 19, 2003, \,\, and by sister Helen Ruth ' and brother Wilbur Miles. Kious ' urvrving are brother D 1 Miles; children Margaret E. 23;: of Tolluca Lake, California, Anne L. Ayers of Martinsburg, West Vir» ginia, Donald E. Ayers of Ridge- field- and Kenneth F. Ayers of Ka- T2161, Hawaii; and grandchildren omas, oshua and Z ers of Hawaii. “haw Ay Graveside services were h ld Monday, September 11 e on Memorial Par at Shalton Arrangements are b M C Funeral Home of Sheltoh. C Omb , OCR Text: Gladys M- Ayers Gladys Marguerite Ayers died on Thursday, September 7, in Olympia. She was 91 and had lived in Shelton 28 years. She was born on November 27, 1914 in Mc- Clave, Colorado, to Claire J. and Julia L. Miles. She taught all eight grades in a two-room, log-cabin school» house in Hasty, Colorado, during the Dust Bowl. The job included teaching, clean- ing and stoking a Wood fire to heat the build- ing. If she hadn’t received a scholar- ship for having been valedictorian of her 1932 high~school class in Bent County High School, Coloe redo, she wouldn‘t have been able to go to college to fulfill her lifelong ambition of becoming a certified teacher. Her father wanted her to stay and help with farm work during the Great Depression, but her mother insisted her education would be a good investment. Her father sold a horse to help finance her education. She graduated with a bachelor’s degree from Greely Teachers‘ Col- lege and taught in Salt Lake City, Utah, for six years. Newspapers in Salt Lake City printed articles featuring her innovative teaching, especially for helping her students build an actual log cabin in their classroom. While earning a master’s degree at Columbia University Teach- ers’ College in New York City, she taught at Barnard School for Boys, a large, private school. She was offered a principalship in Salt Lake City and to head Co- lumbia’s College of Teacher Educa- tion, the largest teachers’ college in the country. In those days female teachers had to sign contracts that they would not marry. Instead, she chose to- marine F. -Emest Ayer‘ay a soldier. who was transferred to Fort Meyers, Florida. They wed on March 27‘ 1945, Gladys M- Ayers . After World War II 7th W" in Estancia, New Meidcofyvdh‘eig Mr. Ayers and his father practiced law. They later moved to Corvallis Oregon. Mrs. Ayers taught in Al: bany, Oregon, for three years. They and Naturalization. Servic Mrs. Ayers taught third {grafdendctl Dunlap Elementary School for 12 \M\., years before retiring to Shelton. Mrs. Ayers was a member of the United Methodist Church of Shel- ton. She and her husband were active in church and community affairs. She taught Sunday school and was the Shelton United Meth- odist chair for 17 years. She re- ceived the United Methodist Wom- en’s highest honor, a flaming gold cross pin. The Ayerses were mem— bers of the Rhododendron Society and traveled to every continent, even Antarctica. She was preceded in death by Mr. Ayers on December 19, 2003, \,\, and by sister Helen Ruth ' and brother Wilbur Miles. Kious ' urvrving are brother D 1 Miles; children Margaret E. 23;: of Tolluca Lake, California, Anne L. Ayers of Martinsburg, West Vir» ginia, Donald E. Ayers of Ridge- field- and Kenneth F. Ayers of Ka- T2161, Hawaii; and grandchildren omas, oshua and Z ers of Hawaii. “haw Ay Graveside services were h ld Monday, September 11 e on Memorial Par at Shalton Arrangements are b M C Funeral Home of Sheltoh. C Omb , Mason County Genealogical Society,Obituaries,Other Obituaries,A Last Name,Ayers, Gladys Marguerite.tif,Ayers, Gladys Marguerite.tif, Ayers, Gladys Marguerite.tif