Thomas K. Ayres

Thomas K. (Dink) Ayres, 89, of Zelienople, formerly of Conneaut Lake and McCandless, passed away Friday evening, Aug. 15, 2008, in UPMC Passavant.Born in Fair Oaks Nov. 18, 1918, he was the son of the late John B. and Flora Kneff Ayres. He was an active member of High Street Community Church of Conneaut Lake for many years and attended St. Peters Reformed Church of Zelienople,He served in the U.S. Army during World War II in Co. A 222nd Infantry Regiment, 42nd Division.Dink worked for Braun Baking Co., retiring in October 1981 after 31 years of service.He was a 50-year member of Harmony Lodge 429 F. and A.M. Zelienople and an associate member of Adelphia Lodge 724, Jamestown.Dink’s greatest joy was fishing in Conneaut Lake and other waterways in western Pennsylvania. He was an avid reader and was also an accomplished woodworker, creating many carvings and pictures that he gave as gifts to friends and family. All who knew him will remember his friendly nature, warm smile and great sense of humor. Dink seemed to know someone everywhere he went, and enjoyed talking with them and always had a joke to tell. He will be sadly missed by all who knew and loved him.He was preceded in death by his wife, Charlotte McClure Ayres, whom he married Dec. 9, 1942, and died Jan. 29, 2007. He was also preceded by one sister and two brothers.He is survived by a son, Thomas (Cynthia) Ayres of Harmony; two daughters, Patricia J. Ayres of Beaver and Mrs. Shirley (Dale) Scholfield of Cranberry Township; four grandchildren, Jamie Heusey of Murrysville, Jodie (Aaron) Mohnkern of Grove City, Stephanie (Craig) Codeluppi of Monroeville, Jeffrey (Connie) Eaton of Pittsburgh; and five great-grandchildren, Christopher, Cholie, Nathan, Daniel and Thomas.Friends and relatives will be received at the A. Carl Kinsey-Ronald N. Volz Funeral Home Inc., 114 W. Spring St., Zelienople, Tuesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. Funeral services will be held Wednesday from the funeral home at 11 a.m. with Rev. James Bertoti of St. Peters Reformed Church.Burial is in Pinewood Memorial Park, Cranberry Township.The family has suggested memorial donations be made to Zelienople Library, 227 S. High St., Zelienople, PA 16063 or the Conneaut Lake Library, 145 S. Second St., Conneaut Lake, PA 16316.Harmony Lodge 724 will hold Masonic Services Tuesday evening at 6:45 p.m.Information and condolences are available at www.kinsey-volzfuneralhome.com.