Rodney Dean Ayres, 62-year-old Goodwell, Oklahoma resident, passed away unexpectedly on February 8 th at his home in Goodwell, Oklahoma. We rejoice that he is no longer struggling in this life here on earth and is in the arms of his savior and his loving parents.
Rod was born on January 25 th , 1963 in Colorado Springs, CO, to Billy Lavern Ayres and Patsy Allyne Dunn Ayres. At the age of 14, Rod went through confirmation class at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church in Security, Colorado and accepted Christ as his savior.
In the early 70’s, Rod and the family got into quarter midget racing. The Ayres family along with several other families of the Pikes Peak Quarter Midget Association helped design and build the new track out on Marksheffle Rd in Colorado Springs. Rod and sister Vicki raced into their teens and gained lifelong close friendships with several racing families: the Misegadis’, Ames’, Towel’s and many others.
Rod graduated from Widefield High School in 1981. During his high school years, he spent most of his class time in the wood working shop or auto mechanic’s shop. He loved working with his hands, creating things, building things, making things work. He was so gifted and talented; everything came easy to him. He was very innovative and had a passion for fabricating and building cars for speed.
In 1987, Rod, along with fellow racers Mark Misegadis, Kevin Ames, Scott Heikes and others started playing with the idea of a 1200 cc mini sprint. By 1991 they had all built cars and formed the first Outlaw Mini Sprint Class debuting in 1993 at Burlington, Colorado, Goodland, Kansas and other locations across the states, including racing at some of the first Tulsa Shootouts preceding the Chili Bowl in Tulsa. During this time Rod enjoyed working for Wayne Demonja at C-FAB, fabricating race car chassis in Colorado Springs. When some of these same group of racers weren’t out racing cars in the winter, they still had the need for speed and adventure and spent their time snowmobiling across the Rockies.
Rod enjoyed the outdoors, whether it was 4-wheeling and elk hunting throughout high school and into his 30’s with one of his closest lifelong friends Kendal McClanahan; heading down the black diamond ski slopes with close friend Bill Schmidt, or being a part of a pit crew during the Pikes Peak Hill Climb.
In 2005, Rod moved to Goodwell, Oklahoma to be close to his parents who moved from Colorado Springs in 2004, as well as his sister Vicki and nephew, Loper who already lived in the area.
Over the years Rod used his God given talents to weld and fabricate race cars, construct homes and barns, install electrical systems, landscaping, concrete, operate large equipment for farming and moving silage. There really wasn’t anything he couldn’t do. As one friend stated, “he had an engineer’s mind without the degree.” A former employer or Rod’s said that over the life of his business, he never had an employee that could do what Rod could do…he knew how to build or fix anything. Rod taught a lot of people how to weld and mechanic, including his nephew Loper McCune.
Rod was the salt of the earth, lived humbly, would give his last dollar or shirt off his back to anyone who needed it. Always willing to help friends, family or neighbors with their repairs or projects. He spent many hours helping his brother in law and friend, Jimbo build fence, barns, drainage system and chutes and making various repairs around their ranch to the house and equipment.
Rod is survived by his sister, Vicki Ayres Portman and husband Jimbo Portman of Hooker, Oklahoma; nephew, Loper McCune and wife Kim Kelly and daughter Tinley McCune of Goodwell, Oklahoma; former brother in law and friend, Pistol McCune; niece Haylie Eyer of Honolulu, HI; nephew Blayne Portman of New Franklin, OH; Loraine Moffett and husband Bob of Lake Mary, Florida and their children John Moffett and his son Carter, Austin Anderson and husband Ryan and their son Noah; several aunts and and uncle, cousins and close friends, Kendal & Lisa McClanahan, Bill and Loretta Schmidt, Mark Misegadis, Paige Backer, Kevin Ames, Troy Shepherd, Wes & Jesslyn Bugbee, Jessica Calsyn and many more. He never knew just how much he was loved.
He was proceeded in death by his father, Billy Lavern Ayres; his mother, Patsy Allyne Dunn Ayres; brother, Greg Ayres; maternal grandfather, “Bill” Vivian Elic Dunn; maternal grandmother, Flora Victoria Weatherly Dunn; paternal grandfather, William Holland Ayres; and paternal grandmother, Nellie Marie Bynum Ayres; as well as an aunt, uncles, cousins and friends.
It was always Rod’s wishes to be cremated and have his ashes spread across the Rocky Mountains where he grew up enjoying racing, fishing, camping, snowmobiling, skiing, 4-wheeling and elk hunting. We will be honoring those wishes this summer.
A memorial service/celebration of life will be held Saturday, March 1st at 1 p.m. at the Victory Memorial Methodist Church, 523 N. Roosevelt, Guymon, Oklahoma, with Pastor David Player residing. A virtual service link will be available after the service for those wishing to watch online. (Look for updates
at www.hensonnovak.com)
Memorials can be made through Henson-Novak Funeral Home for a collected contribution that will be made to an alcohol addiction treatment program.
Friends and family may sign the online guest book, leave an online condolence or upload a photo to Rodneys memorial page at www.hensonnovak.com.
