Valerie Ayres

AYRES Valerie (Czerniak) Valerie (Czerniak) Ayres, 64, of Sylvania Township, died early Friday morning, August 10, 2007, at St. Vincent Mercy Medical Center surrounded by family and friends. She was born December 17, 1942, in Toledo, Ohio to Ignatius and Genevieve (Kmiec) Czerniak, who have both preceded her in death, as well as her husband, James H. Ayres; her sister, Kathleen Morris, and her brother, Michael Czerniak. Val was a graduate of Central Catholic High School and attended the former Mercy School of Nursing. She followed her education working in the Emergency Room at Mercy until 1973 when she and Jim adopted their daughter, Deborah. In 1976, Catholic Charities blessed them with their son, Matthew. Val was a dedicated stay-at-home mother, wife, daughter and volunteer. She was very active at her children's schools and organized several programs for the youth. She returned to nursing after her children left for college and served as a case manager for home health care services until December 2005. She was diagnosed with Lymphoma in February of this year, and was cancer-free by July. Valerie is survived by her son, Matthew James Ayres; her daughter, Deborah (Benjamin) Budd, her only grandchild, Avalon Marie Budd; her mother-in-law, Irene Ayres; her siblings, James (Rebecca) Czerniak, Francine Niewedzial, Suzanne Whiteaker; as well as a large extended family including the Ryerson, Czer- niak/Collins, Czerniak/Leather, Niewedzial/Popard, Morris/Neeb, Whiteaker/Bradford families, and so many close friends. Val will be remembered most for her humility, her valor, her love of friends and family, her strong work ethic, her treasured friendship and generosity, as well as her undying compassion and empathy for others. Visitation is scheduled at the J. Jeffrey Fretti Funeral Home at 5045 Sylvania Avenue (at Corey Road) (419-843-1117) Sunday, August 12, from 3-8 p.m. Prayers will be recited at 9:30 a.m. Monday followed by the funeral mass at 10:00 a.m. at Christ the King Church at 4100 Harvest Lane, presided over by Father Ron Olszewski. Burial will follow in Calvary Cemetery. Val was a 1963 graduate of the Mercy School of Nursing. Donations in lieu of flowers may be directed to the Valerie Czerniak Ayres Scholarship Fund at Mercy College of Northwest Ohio, 2221 Madison Avenue, Toledo, Ohio 43604.