Timothy Ayers

Tim was the youngest child of five (5) children born to Deacon Samuel Ayers and Evangelist/Missionary Matilda McElroy Ayers in Chicago, Ill. He grew up within a joyful, Spirit-filled family. His father was a sanitation worker who grew fruit trees, grape vines, and huge gardens that fed the neighborhood as well as his family. During her missionary work in Haiti, Tim’s mother established over a hundred churches, which continue to flourish! These joint sources of life and Spirit brought love to life in Timothy Ayers!

Tim loved people and music, looking sharp and having fun with others. A younger cousin from the Chicago McElroy Family Reunion Club shared that Tim always brought laughter with him. He attended every reunion until COVID and brought as many family members with him as possible. In her vows, Judith said a major reason she was marrying Tim was that he made her laugh. Even in his weakest, sickest moments, Tim was always teasing and joking, even if it was only a gesture or facial expression. Tim brought life, laughter, love and spirit into many venues, beginning with his extended family and the vital, diverse neighborhood called the BeeZark where he grew up.

From a young age, Tim loved babies. He loved having his nieces with him. Infamously, he took baby Tibby with him to the local bar and set her up on the counter while they visited with his friends. Tim spent quality time with his young cousin Peanut, eventually introducing him to boxing to get him out of fights at school. He loved hanging out with his children. He took them with him almost everywhere. He was a loving husband, father, brother, and Uncle Tim to hundreds of foster children who were raised by his two sisters. Many youth saw him as a second father.

Tim brought that love of life and laughter into his work life as well. In his military life, he enjoyed dressing up as a military policeman and later bragged about having served food to the NATO Forces. When he came home, he had difficulty finding a job, but when, as a poorly paid laborer, he fell asleep at work, the owner woke him up to make him a supervisor. At that job, he also organized a gospel quartet at lunch in the bathroom. Finally, through a federal program, he was trained and hired as a youth leader with the Ohio Department of Youth Services. For the next 28 years, he worked with incarcerated youth at Buckeye and Circleville Youth Centers. Tim was a gifted Youth Leader and loved his job, whether supervising 100 youth or less. After completing his BSW at Ohio State University, Tim was considered by many to be the best Social Worker in the department. He was a primary force in the development of the first boot camp program for incarcerated youth in Ohio. That program was recognized throughout the state and adopted in adult prisons. He was most proud of and happiest about the outcomes of the Cadre Program he developed at the Circleville Youth Center, which, among other things, opened the pathway for those youth to attend college while serving their time.

For several years, Tim took leave from The Department of Youth Services (DYS) to organize unions in state funded programs in Ohio. Tim was a ferocious fighter for justice and principles, which he demonstrated most consistently as a union representative for DYS employees and an advocate for the youth. In 1993, the SEIU Union honored Tim with their Civil Rights award.

Tim was always actively involved in the community. For years, he and his sisters produced and directed fashion shows as fundraisers for his brother’s outreach center called CinThyCare. Tim trained the models, sold ads, got clothes from businesses, wrote skits, MCed, and directed Indorieyn Productions. Tim was very expressive in his own apparel, from traditional dress suits to jumpsuits, capes, and turbans. He was always coordinated and loved dressing up. During his illness, he adopted more casual attire. Tim’s creativity was expressed not only in fashion but also in teaching, campaigning, counseling, program development, acting, and, in the last two years of his life, abstract painting, which gave him great peace throughout his last illness.

Tim was also a natural leader, but never sought formal recognition. As a member of the Columbus Association of Black Social Workers, he was nominated in his absence as Vice President and later became President of the Columbus Chapter and then President of the State of Ohio Association of Black Social Workers. Tim was also actively involved in political campaigns. He was campaign manager for at least one African American mayoral candidate, and he worked tirelessly to get Barack Obama elected as President.

Tim believed in God and lived on the foundation and principles he had learned from his parents, but it wasn’t until he was brought to his knees by addiction that he surrendered his life to the Lord. After the power of the Lord Jesus Christ delivered Tim from his addictions, his heart led him to establish CONFA, an outreach ministry for addicts and their families. CONFA members met once a week for support, often had fellowship on Sunday, did rescue missions for fallen members, and witnessed to addicts on the street. During this time, Tim and his wife often housed and ministered to crack addicts. Tim led a full life, which became more abundant once he surrendered it to Jesus. Tim, along with his wife Judith, was a faithful member of Gospel Lighthouse Church for many years. Tim will be deeply missed.

Tim is remembered for his love, laughter, enjoyment of his extended family by his wife of 49 years Judith Morris Ayers, Children, Tequila Lake, Drew Turner, Jason Turner, Tameia Jameson, Mister Lewis, Ramin Ayers, Matilda Ayers Moussa; Granddaughters, Teiashia Lake, Talaysia Jameson; Grandsons, Booker Lake, Saeed Moussa, Junius Ayers, Judda Moussa and Carter Turner; Great-grandchildren Abriel Jordan, Rakiah Taylor, Taiona, Jahniya, Jahliya, Brooklyn, Martez, Rahniya, Malaysia, Sha’Niya, Sha’Miya, and Loyalty Lake, Johan Jameson, Emani and Emaje’ Clay, Ky’Zia Ayers, Jahseh and Kairo Moussa; baby in waiting Na’Ria Ayers; Great great granddaughter Da’Ziyah Taylor; and his beloved sister Dorcas Ayers Porter; nieces, Zenobia Lovely, Lisa Brown, Leronica Ayers, Liatrice Bradley, Vanessa Ayers, Fatica Ayers, Sabrina Ayers, Sonya Ayers Thomas, Simone Ayers Donaldson, Dolly King, Kimberly Barbour, Kenya King Storey, Sade King, Juanita Hughes, Tibby

Porter; Nephew, Leroi Bradley; and special family, John and Valerie King, Jody Hamlet, and Chris Bournea.

TO GOD BE THE GLORY FOR THE THINGS HE HAS DONE!