Helen Rebecca Ayres

Middletown...Helen Rebecca (Porter) Ayres, 92, died October 20th at Bethany Pointe Health Campus in Anderson. She was born in Winamac, IN, June 6, 1921 to Dr. John Emmett and Clara Noble Porter. During her childhood she lived in Greencastle, Whiting, Terre Haute, Valparaiso, and Peru and graduated from Greencastle High School. She graduated from DePauw University in 1942 and taught Latin, English, and physical education at Sulphur Springs High School. She married Frank Ayres and helped raise three children on a farm five miles east of Middletown where she lived for 60 years.Helen worked at the Ball State University Library for 29 years. She began her career at the library as a stack supervisor and then became the Reserve Book Room supervisor and added periodical and microfilm duties. She ended her career as supervisor in the Circulation Department at Ball State and was awarded the Jane Morton Award for Excellence.Reading was her passion and she did a great job as a mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Many family get-togethers were hosted at ""the farm"" with lots of good food, outdoor sports, board games, and six handed euchere with the men against the women. Over the years children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren enjoyed many fun times in the country and during family vacations at Indiana Beach.She is survived by her sons: Michael (Arlene) Ayres, Riverview, FL, and Brian (Kathy) Ayres of Anderson, daughter: Donna (Bill) Hutton of Pendleton, eight grandchildren: Eric (Rose)Ayres, Jeremy (Gabe) Ayres, Heather (Doug) Tannas, Deirdre (Matt) Robinson, Aaron (Sarah) Ayres, Andrew Ayres, Megan (Adam) Matson and Alan (Ashley) Ayres, eleven great grandchildren, her sister: Virginia Palmer of Crown Pointe, IN.She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, her brothers: John Emmett Porter, Jr, and Robert Noble Porter and one sister: Frances Minnick.Funeral services will be held on Wednesday at 10:00 am at Ballard and Sons Funeral Home, 118 South 5th, Middletown with family and friends officiating.Burial will follow at Miller Cemetery, Middletown.Friends may call at the funeral home on Tuesday from 5-8 PM.Memorials may be made to the Second Harvest Food Bank, 6621 N Old SR 3, Muncie, IN 47303 or Community North Home Health Hospice Care, 9894 East 121st, Fishers, Indiana 46037.Online Guestbook at: www.ballardandsons.com or Facebook/Ballard and Sons Funeral Home and Cremation Services.The Ballard family is honored to celebrate the life of Helen Ayres with family and friends.