William Floyd Ayers of Winchester, TN passed away peacefully after a brief battle with Acute Myeloid Leukemia on September 26, 2024, with his wife Linda holding his hand. Floyd and Linda recently celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary and spent many happy and healthy years together. They enjoyed beach trips, visiting family in Mississippi, attending concerts, shopping local farmer’s markets, and exercising (at least Linda enjoyed that part, but Floyd did it). Everything changed when Floyd began feeling ill in early September. Together they faced this devastating disease courageously. Floyd spent his final week enjoying visits with his family and close friends.
Floyd was born to William Clayton “Buster” and Annie Ruth Ayers on April 26, 1946. He was a proud son of Franklin County and his beloved hometown of Winchester. Floyd was a kind soul with a soft spot for older people and older ways. He was a bright kid with a great memory and as an adult he remembered learning to walk. As a child he thought of himself as a “city boy” on the bustling streets of Winchester, while the cousins he loved to visit had the “good life” out in the country close to his maternal grandparents’ house near the Walnut Grove community. Floyd excelled at math, drafting, and displayed his marksmanship as a member of the shooting team before graduating from Franklin County High School. Floyd left for Knoxville to study at the University of Tennessee before starting his career as a Cartographer (mapmaker). It was fun for his young children to know that virtually no other kid could claim that their dad was a Cartographer, but this profession fit Floyd perfectly. He excelled at his craft and eventually started his own company in the 1980’s that continues today. Floyd mapped many parts of the United States throughout his career, but proudly returned to his hometown where he used his talents to map Emergency 911 systems in Franklin County and many other nearby counties. Floyd has served these communities for decades and contributed to many E911 committees in various counties over the years. Outside of work, Floyd was a gardener, a naturalist, a historian, and a music enthusiast. He loved supporting local establishments and farmers.
Floyd was a proud father to 6 children, William Yuri Ayers, Illia Daniel Ayers, Jamie Tucker Abel, Ashleigh Carol Ayers, Jesse Ruth Ayers and Benjamin Tsali Ayers. Floyd took great pride in giving them unusual names (only Ashleigh, Jesse, and stepson Jamie were mostly spared by his naming ideas). Floyd loved history and wanted his children to be educated at every available opportunity, especially on road trips. As the family drove listening to NPR, Prairie Home Companion, or a UT game (if we were lucky), Floyd was always on the search for historical markers along the way. All his children will attest that they have each read hundreds (if not thousands) of historical markers as Floyd stopped at every possible marker he encountered. Floyd worked hard and passed his work ethic on to all his children. He believed that every house should have a very large yard and a very old push mower for his children to use. He also believed in gender equality in that his girls would also learn to mow. He believed that mowing should only occur in the hottest part of the day. He believed that every 12-year-old should be proficient in processing piles upon piles of mylar map copies on an ammonia printer and know how to properly file them. Copying large maps literally and figuratively stinks. He was always caring enough to assure each child that the ammonia induced headaches would wear off before too long. As an avid Parrot Head (fan of Jimmy Buffett), Floyd wanted to instill a love for music in all his children. He affectionately chose a Jimmy Buffett song as a theme for each of his children. He frequently took his kids to music festivals, but not the type most children would necessarily appreciate. Rather, he exposed his kids to less common types of music like Native American Indian flautist, steel drum ensembles from the Caribbean, and bagpipes at the highlander games just to name a few examples. Despite these sometimes-traumatic learning experiences, his children became accomplished musicians, singers, craftsman, and professionals thanks to their many life lessons. This has also passed down to his talented grandchildren. Floyd took great pride in his children and grandchildren, especially watching their performances over many years.
Floyd loved nature, history, historical markers, his Native American heritage, mapping, and touring people throughout Franklin and surrounding counties. All these lifelong interests transformed into a mission for Floyd in his later years as he joined in a historical quest to map the Trail of Tears through Franklin and Marion Counties known as the Bell Route. He worked alongside many other dedicated and talented historians. He was very proud of this mission volunteering countless hours of intensive research, mapping, and touring over many years until the dream of this project was realized. Now as Floyd’s children drive the roads of Franklin County, they have many new historical signs to appreciate in knowing their father’s contribution to mapping the Trail of Tears. Linda was notified that his efforts on the Trail of Tears project are to be recognized by Sewanee – The University of the South on October 25, 2024, in its launch of a database entitled “Retracing the Bell Route: An Archive of Cherokee Removal.” In 2018, Floyd was proud to organize Franklin County’s inaugural Trail of Tears Commemorative Walk. This event continues every year, and Floyd would want everyone to attend on October 26, 2024. Participants will gather at 11:45AM at the Old Cowan Road Park 203 Wilson Street, Winchester, TN. The walk is .8 miles to the Franklin County Library. The event features walkers, wagon teams, horseback riders, presenters, food, and exhibits.
William Floyd Ayers is preceded in death by his parents W.C. “Buster” and Ruth Ayers, and his sister Peggy Ayers Rollins. Floyd is survived by his wife Linda Tucker Ayers, brother Phillip Ayers (Brenda), sister Mechele Ayers Wollard, children Yuri Ayers (Angela), Illia Ayers (Jennifer), Jamie Abel, Ashleigh Ayers Walker (Kam), Jesse Ayers (Jake Derryberry), Ben Ayers (Margaret), and grandchildren Keaton Abel, Tucker Abel, William “Billy” Ayers, Anna Ayers, Mollie Ayers, Ella Ayers, Layne Ayers, Isaac Ayers, and Major Walker. A celebration of a life well lived is planned for Saturday, October 26, 2024, at Walnut Hill Coffee Company, 101 1st Ave NW. Friends and family are invited to come by between 5 and 8pm. In lieu of flowers, Floyd would prefer you donate your time or money to a worthwhile cause. Floyd dearly loved and contributed to The Museum of Power and Industry at Falls Mill, The Franklin Co Historical Society, and the Tennessee Chapter of the Trail of Tears Association (TNTOTA). Otherwise, Floyd would want you to plant a tree, build chimney swift habitat, or simply find some way to support your friends and neighbors. He would also want you to stop and read the next historical marker you see.
