[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 1]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 639-640]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                        IN MEMORY OF W.E. AYERS

                                 ______
                                 

                             HON. MIKE ROSS

                              of arkansas

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, January 9, 2007

  Mr. ROSS. Madam Speaker, I rise today to honor the memory of W.E. 
Ayers, who passed away December 8, 2006, in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, at 
the age of 76.
  W.E. Ayers was a pillar of the city of Pine Bluff and the state of 
Arkansas for decades. Ayers was the former Chairman and CEO of Simmons 
First National Corporation of Pine Bluff. He joined the organization in 
1957 and became Senior Vice President in 1969. Mr. Ayers was then named 
President of the Bank in 1985 and named Chairman of the Board the 
following year.
  A graduate of Louisiana State University, W.E. Ayers also received an 
honorary doctorate degree from the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff 
and Southeast Arkansas College.
  W.E. Ayers was an active member of Lakeside United Methodist Church 
where he served as a former trustee and Sunday School teacher. He was a 
past President of the Arkansas Bankers Association as well as a member 
of the Kiwanis Club, Pine Bluff Chamber of Commerce, Arkansas Arts 
Council and the Arkansas School for Mathematics and Science Foundation.
  My deepest condolences go to his wife, Diane Ayers; son and daughter-
in-law, Tim and Leigh Ayers of Atlanta, GA; daughter Cathy Zimmerman of 
Boulder, CO; and to his 5 grandchildren. W.E. Ayers will be greatly 
missed in Pine Bluff and throughout the state of Arkansas.

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