Kenneth “Ken” Thurber Ayres, of West Lafayette, Indiana, passed away peacefully on February 20, 2024, at the age of 91 at the Indiana Veterans’ Home.

Ken was born in Susquehanna, Pennsylvania on June 11, 1932, to Kenneth and Mildred (Dauphin) Ayres. Ken has one sister, Barbara Ann Ayers. Ken graduated from Montrose High School in 1949 and worked as a cleaner at Gardner Motors in Binghampton, NY until he enlisted in the United States Army in 1951, where he served as a general mechanic 351^st Infantry until 1953.

Ken was proud to be a veteran and he enjoyed talking about all the places that he had been. He loved boxing, talking about politics, cars, memories, history, and playing Pinochle. He loved going out for a good beer and Mexican food, and he always put hot sauce on everything. His friend, Ann Michelle, would bring him bottles of hot sauce from wherever she went, and he loved it. He told her, “Hot sauce was how everyone survived chow.” He enjoyed cooking, especially crock pot meals, so if you made him a meal, it better be good, or he would call you out.

Throughout his 11 years at the Indiana Veterans’ Home, Ken was well known, and he made many friends and caregivers that he considered more as family, especially those he saw daily on Mac Arthur 2. Ken was definitely stubborn, but he had a huge soft heart. His sense of humor, sarcastic comments, and his big smile will not easily be forgotten, as Ken was absolutely one of a kind.

Ken was preceded in death by his father and mother. He leaves behind the best memories and broken hearts of all that loved him, including his favorite social worker, Olivia, all his Mac 2 nurses and CNA’s, his friends in restorative therapy, and respiratory therapy, as well as his close friends, Scott and Crystal Denison.

Per Ken’s request, he will be cremated, and a graveside celebration of life will take place at the Indiana Veterans’ Home with full military rights, with Chaplain David Hess officiating. Graveside service will be 10:00 am March 1, 2024, at the Indiana Veterans Home Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Indiana Veterans’ Home.