Lela "Joy" Ayers, 92, of Oklahoma City, passed away peacefully on June 19, 2026.

Joy was born on May 27, 1934, in Melbourne, Arkansas, to Levie G. Hightower and Lois M. (Blair) Hightower. She graduated from Capitol Hill High School and enjoyed a successful career as a division secretary with Southwestern Bell, where she worked for 20 years.

Joy was devoted to her family and was blessed with two enduring loves in her life. She shared 29 years of marriage with her first husband, Milas "Scotty" Ward, and 35 years of marriage with her beloved husband, Al Ayers. She and Scotty shared two sons, Mike and Chris.

Following her retirement, Joy embraced life with energy, curiosity, and a spirit of service. She and Al traveled the world with Friendship Force International, forming lasting friendships and experiencing new cultures together. A social butterfly, she enjoyed square dancing, bowling, and spending time with friends through the Red Hat Society. She also dedicated many volunteer hours serving her community through the Oklahoma chapter of the AT&T Pioneers.

Joy was a meticulous keeper of memories. Over the course of her life, she lovingly created hundreds of scrapbooks filled with photographs, preserving family history, milestones, travels, and everyday moments for future generations. Her collection stands as a remarkable record of a life well lived and of the people she loved most.

A woman of strong faith, Joy was an active member of Brookwood Baptist Church and was formerly a member of Exchange Avenue Baptist Church and Southern Hills Baptist Church. Her faith, kindness, and servant's heart touched the lives of many.

Joy is survived by her sons, Mike and Chris; sister, Jeannie; brother, Glenn; stepson, Lonnie; stepdaughters, Kelly, Tracey, and Lezlie; grandchildren, Jenny, Scott, Curtis, Emily, Nicole, Lindsey, Matthew, Erick and Delaney; and great-grandchildren, Sarah, Ethan, Oliver, Adelynn, Wiley, Goldie, Hazel, Asher, Arthur and Daisy.

She was preceded in death by her husbands, Scotty Ward and Al Ayers.