Ayers, at 90, still a pillar of community

PHIL CAMPBELL — Barbara Ayers, who taught home economics at Phil Campbell High School for more than three decades, remains engaged in the life of the community she has called home her entire life.

Ayers, now 90, was born and raised in Phil Campbell, attended local schools, and returned after college to begin teaching.

She spent 39 years in the classroom, beginning in her early 20s, working with generations of students who still recognize her decades later.

She taught students from a wide range of ages, from Sunday school classes with young children to high school students learning cooking, sewing and household skills.

Ayers said some of the most meaningful moments came years later, when former students stopped her to share what they remembered.

“The greatest reward about teaching is when someone, after years, comes up to you and tells you how much you influenced their life,” Ayers said. “That really makes it all worthwhile.”

Former student Pat Fleming, who graduated in the early 1960s, remembers Ayers as someone who spent time with students outside the classroom. Fleming said Ayers organized small trips and activities that helped build connections beyond school hours.

“She’s considerate of others, but she’s not afraid to stand up and lead,” Fleming said. “She’s just a very special lady.”

City council member Lynn Landers also counts herself among Ayers’ former students.

Landers said her earliest memories of Ayers go back to church activities and Sunday school, followed by home economics classes in high school.

Landers said Ayers’ influence extended beyond the classroom, pointing to her involvement in church activities and her role in helping plan and carry out events over many years.

“Mrs. Ayers is a pillar of the community,” Landers said. “More than a teacher, she has led, taught and guided the youth for years. She taught so many of us the basics of sewing, cooking and the fundamentals of family care. It’s families like this that make Phil Campbell such a great place to live.”

Faith and service have played a central role in Ayers’ life. She has been involved with the Women’s Missionary Union for decades, serving as a director and helping organize projects that range from local outreach to international missions. Ayers said the WMU’s monthly projects are among the efforts she values most, particularly Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, which provide gifts and school supplies to children around the world.

“When you see pictures of the children who receive them, you realize how much it means,” she said. “You don’t know where they’re going, but you know they’re appreciated.”

Friend Patsy Bobo met Ayers through WMU work and later traveled with her on mission trips through the Franklin County Baptist Builders, where women prepared meals for volunteers working on church construction projects.

“Barbara is a very wise person,” Bobo said. “When a project needs to be done, she always has ideas. She’s very creative, and she can come up with solutions quickly.”

Bobo said Ayers remains actively involved and engaged.

“She has not let age change her,” Bobo said. “She stays up to date and continues to contribute in meaningful ways.”

In addition to church work, Ayers has served for more than 20 years on the Phil Campbell Housing Authority board.

Through that role, she formed a close friendship with Carolyn Hyde, who helps her with daily tasks and stays with her at night.

Ayers said learning to accept help was difficult at first, but she values the companionship and trust they share.

“We get along so well,” she said. “We think alike, and we enjoy the same things. It makes a difference.”

Ayers said she enjoys inspirational novels and prefers books with happy endings.

“I read to relax,” she said. “I don’t read books that make me worry.”

Cooking has long been another passion.

Ayers collected cookbooks for years and is especially known among friends for her coconut cake and other baked goods. She and Hyde plan meals together, often cooking enough to share with neighbors.

Ayers was married to Gilbert Ayers for nearly 49 years.

The two met while working at Phil Campbell schools, where he coached and later served as principal.

She said some of her favorite memories include traveling together, attending football games and visiting the Smoky Mountains and San Antonio, Texas.

Family remains important to Ayers, though her son, grandchildren and great-grandchildren live in Virginia. Despite the distance, she said the family stays close.

“Family is a closeness you feel with someone you love,” she said. “It doesn’t matter how far apart you are.”

Looking back, Ayers said she hopes people remember her as someone who tried to help when she could and treated others fairly.

“If I could tell a new teacher anything,” she said, “it would be to treat everyone alike. That’s the hardest thing to do, but it matters.”