Obituary: Jean Wallace Ayre

LEXINGTON - Jean Wallace Ayre, widow of Calvert William "Bill" Ayre, died Wednesday, January 30, 2013, at her home in Lexington. She was born at Fort Jackson on November 27, 1942, to Ted and Gladys Wallace. The oldest of four daughters, she accompanied her parents all over the world during her father's military service, attending thirteen schools before graduating from Brookland-Cayce High School in 1960. She attended the University of South Carolina, and was an active member of Zeta Tau Alpha sorority, while her husband served as president of Sigma Phi Epsilon in between U.S. Army tours.

Following her husband's death, Mrs. Ayre supported her family during a career that included sales and management positions with The State Newspaper, Square D, Monroe Systems for Business, and Russell and Jeffcoat Realtors. An avid gardener, Mrs. Ayre was known for pass-along plants, beautiful yards and a love of being outside. Along with her husband, and later on, her granddaughters, she loved gem mining and creating jewelry with her finds. In her later years, she mostly enjoyed spending time with her family, especially her granddaughters.

Mrs. Ayre is survived by her daughters, Cathy Ayre of Greenville, Carole Farrar and her husband, Lieutenant Colonel Bradley T. Farrar of Lexington, Cynthia Sandstrom and her husband, Sixten Sandstrom of Larsmo, Finland, sisters Linda Ruggiero and her husband, Louis Ruggiero of Chapin, Peggy Rumpel and her husband Hank Rumpel of Spartanburg, granddaughters, Elizabeth, Grace and Caroline Farrar of Lexington, and niece Martha Coats of Brighton, Tennessee and many loving cousins. She was predeceased by her parents, her husband, sister Barbara Anne Wallace, and niece Leigh Taylor Rumpel.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. on Sunday, February 10, 2013, at Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church. In lieu of flowers, her family requests that donations be made to the Lexington County Public Library or the charity of one's choice .