Donald Paul Ayer

Donald Paul Ayer was born on July 10, 1955 in Oakland, Nebraska to Paul and Donna (Miner) Ayer. He grew up in Ralston where he attended Seymour Smith grade school and graduated from Ralston High School in 1973. Don went on to study Hotel Management in college. As a young boy, Don enjoyed hunting, fishing and football. Don and Sandy decided to elope and get married in Conchas Dam, New Mexico and make a fishing vacation out of it. They were married at the court house in Turcumcari, New Mexico on May 26, 1999 with Don’s cousin Steve Lindsay, who lived in Conchas Dam, was Don’s best man. Don has worked as a cook, bartender, hunting and fishing guide and salesman for C & H Enterprises. He continued his love of hunting and fishing and was a member of Pheasants Forever. He still watched football and enjoyed playing darts, pool and shuffle board. Don loved the outdoors and all of nature and was thrilled when they purchased their acreage near Syracuse. Don felt blessed by the birth of his son Jory and treasured the time they spent together hunting and fishing. He enjoyed classic 70’s music, Cornhusker football, a good steak and Hazelnut coffee. Don and Sandy spent 12 years together, hunting deer, Elk, turkey, duck, goose, pheasant, quail, dove, coyote and rabbit. All but the elk were taken on their 52 acres near Syracuse. Don kept the 13 acre lake stocked with walleye, crawdads and minnows. The lake already had bass, bluegill and crappie. Don’s brother, sister-in-law, son, granddaughter, father-in-law and mother-in-law, niece, wife and friends enjoyed fishing at the lake with him. He loved to party during Deer and pheasant season and always had the group over for about a week of shooting pool, shuffle board, foosball and darts. Ron enjoyed the grilling during the party. All of Don’s friends enjoyed the ice fishing. Don had all the fishing gear, ice tents, ice augers and fishing poles. He was nicknamed “Auger Ayer” and while it was cold, everyone had a great time. Don enjoyed snowmobiling in the winter and his ATV Mule the rest of the year to watch the wild life that gathered around the acreage. Over the last 12 years, Don and Sandy planted a variety of Oak, Maple and fruit trees. On the hill across from their house and on either side of the house, Don planted wildflowers. In the spring and fall, the wildflowers create a rainbow of color that would take your breath away. Jason Burr and his family would help Don and Sandy with the planting of their foodplots, mowing and putting up the deer stand that Don hunted from. Jason built Don’s cement boat dock, the beach on the lake and planted the grass around the house. There hasn’t been much that Jason and his family haven’t done. Don had always wanted a home he could call his own. Outdoors he had a 45 foot floating aluminum dock to fish off of, an aerator in the lake, fruit trees for the wildlife, wildflowers for the birds, gardens for his hunting and a house that had the appearance of a lodge with big windows as big as garage doors so he could see the sunrise every day and geese, ducks and eagles flying through the seasons; and never a day went by that he did not enjoy seeing the deer running over the hill across from the house. The spring time would bring the doe’s out with their new fawns. Don had 3 to 4 sets of Canadian geese nest every year since he lived on the lake. The geese would raise their babies and stay all spring and summer, then leave; and right now they are back on the lake. They know us and will come up to eat when corn is put out for them. Last year a tame goose adopted Don and the lake. She is here now this winter and will call to him when he went out on the deck and stand. Don would sit on the deck every day and night with a cup of hazelnut coffee and watch for the deer with his binoculars. Birds loved him --- a mockingbird also adopted him a couple of years ago while he was out on the deck. He would whistle to it and it would sing a melody of various bird songs back to him. Don passed away on January 19, 2011 at St. Elizabeth Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska at the age of 55 years, 6 months and 9 days. Even with his untimely death, Don will live on through the many organ and tissue donations that he made to the benefit of their recipients. He was preceded in death by his parents Paul and Donna. Don is survived by his wife Sandy; son Jory Ayer of Bellevue, NE; granddaughter Reina Ayer; brother Ron (Peggy) Ayer of Omaha; Niece Dawna Ayer Don loved his life on the 52 acres and he only left them when he had to. We love you Baby! Sandy, Kitkitty, Tipper, Pola Bear and Fox Ayer, Donald age 55 of Syracuse, NE survived by wife Sandy; son Jory Ayer of Bellevue, NE; granddaughter Reina Ayer; brother Ron (Peggy) Ayer of Omaha; Niece Dawna Ayer; Visitation Monday 2 PM to 8 PM at the funeral home with family receiving friends from 6 to 8. Funeral Tuesday 11 AM at the funeral home. Private Interment. Condolences to www.reichmuthfuneralhomes.com Reichmuth Funeral Home 21901 W. Maple Rd. 402-289-2222

Donald Paul Ayer

July 10, 1955 - January 19, 2011