Deloris Marie Ayers was born May 30, 1932, in Waterloo, Wisconsin, and she grew up on a farm during the Great Depression.
She was known for her industrious personality and hardworking attitude, often working three jobs at a time. Over the years her varied occupations included working at a shoe factory, butchering chickens for a poultry company, was a lathe operator, assembled door mats out of recycled tires, worked at a wood products company, was a certified nursing assistant, worked at a restaurant, did house cleaning, sold Fuller and Watkins products, read electric meters, worked in a deli, processed deer and worked at a full service transport station, just to name a few.
Deloris enjoyed fishing, gardening, woodworking, refinishing furniture and her "annual walnut harvest." She took pride in her lawn and could often be seen hard at work to keep it neat and tidy.
Deloris died Oct. 9, 2019, at 87 years of age, having lived a full life.
She is survived by her daughter, Susan Schultz, and two sons, Jeffrey Wolff and Daniel Ayers, all of Gainesville.
She is also survived by grandchildren Jennifer Jones, Jessica Borland, Danielle Hogue, Diana Cobb, Kyle Shultz, Chelsea Ayers and Caleb Ayers; great-grandchildren Karson, Kenzee and Contessa Jones; and two brothers, Steve and Earl Schutz, and a sister, Eleanor Ludtke, all of Wisconsin.
She was preceded in death by her father, George Schutz; her mother, Anna Janish; stepmother, Margaret Schutz; a sister, Nancy; and brother, Francis.
Deloris enjoyed studying the Bible and was baptized as one of Jehovah's Witnesses on April 20, 2002. She always felt her education was limited, but it never prevented her from sharing the Bible's message with others. Many in the community looked forward to her regular visits.
She was dearly loved for her positive spirit and will be missed by her family and many friends.
A memorial service is being held for Deloris at 2 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 12 at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses in Gainesville.