Funeral Services Set for Saturday for Margaret Ayers

Funeral Services for Mrs Margaret Ayers are set for this Saturday in Lavonia.

Born in 1927, Margaret Ayers was proud to claim the title of being Lavonia’s oldest living citizen who was born in and raised in Lavonia and she served as the town’s historian for many years.

Miss Margaret passed away Tuesday at her home.

She was a fixture in, and indeed an integral part, of the history of Lavonia itself.

Ayers had been employed at Northeast Georgia Bank in Lavonia since graduating from Lavonia High School in 1944 until her death.

This year, the Bank celebrated her 79th year as an employee.

Her husband Herman served as Mayor of Lavonia in the early 1970s and passed away in 1995.

Throughout her adult life, Ayers remained active in the community serving for many years as the historian for the City of Lavonia and a member of the board of directors of the Lavonia Housing Authority.

She was also a charter member of the Lavonia Pilot Club and was a member of the Lavonia Hospital Authority, the Lavonia Historic Preservation Commission, the United Daughters of the Confederacy, the Lavonia Lions Club, the Friends of the Lavonia Library, Lavonia Woman’s Club, Franklin County Historical Society, and Lavonia & Franklin County Chambers of Commerce.

In 2022, the Lavonia Chamber honored her with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

She was also very active in her church the Journey at First Baptist Lavonia.

But others had long recognized her volunteer spirit and commitment to the community.

For years, the Toccoa Clinic, which has offices in Lavonia held an annual Margaret Ayers Citizen Volunteer of the Year award in her honor to recognize those in the community who reflected her spirit of volunteerism.

Ayers was also the author and co-author of several books on the history of Lavonia.

The funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. Saturday, October 14, 2023 at the Lavonia First Baptist Church with Rev. Dr. Larry Finger, Rev. Dr. Hugh Hendrickson, and Rev. Chris Chitwood officiating.
She will be laid to rest in Lavonia City – Burgess Cemetery.

The family will receive friends at the funeral home Friday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Flowers are optional or memorials may be made to the Lavonia First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 47, Lavonia, GA 30553 or the Northeast Georgia Animal Shelter, 870 Bear Creek Road, Lavonia, GA 30553.