Michael Wilmon Ayer

Michael Wilmon Ayer, 72, of Austin, Texas, passed away on March 27, 2020. Michael was born in Bethesda, Maryland on April 3, 1947. He was the son of Wilmon H. Ayer and Virginia C. Golla Ayer and had 1 brother, Roger, and 1 sister, Phyllis. Michael's dad was a captain in the Navy and the family lived in many places as called for during his father's career. He spoke fondly of his memories of living in London as a teenager while the family was stationed there. Michael graduated high school in 1965 from J.E.B. Stuart in Falls Church, VA. He went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts Degree with a Double Major in Computer Science and Physics from the University of California Berkeley in 1969. He also received a Master of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering from The University of Santa Clara California in 1974. Michael also attended Stanford University in the Engineering-Economic Systems Program. Michael met his wife Ruby in 1987. They married in 1991 and would enjoy 28 years together filled with love, laughter, family, hard work and world travels. When Michael was asked what he did for a living he would always tell people that the last job he actually got paid for was that o...[more]

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n opera singer. He would also tell people that he had been a physicist and a farmer and was currently a real estate investor. Michael loved to sing. He had a very rich and beautiful baritone voice. He was in the Glee Club in college and sang with several local music theatre companies in the areas that he lived over the years. During his years in Austin, Texas he was a member of the Austin Lyric Opera. He performed 15 operas with them. When travelling he would occasionally sing while on vacation. Some of the most memorable locations were, in Antarctica in an old whale oil container, in Cowgill, Missouri on the most beautiful handmade bridge, in the Caverns of Sonora in Texas and at the Sydney Opera House in Australia. Michael had a great love and appreciation for music. Michael with his wife by his side, loved the great outdoors, loved to travel, loved photography and loved to take underwater videos while scuba diving. They had a group of folks from Austin that they had traveled with for 25 years. Adventure travel was what they enjoyed most. They had the privilege of visiting all 7 continents. Even so, there was so much more they wanted to see together. Michael spent the last few years working to turn a dream into a reality. He had a piece of land with a beautiful view. This land was to become the sight of his gorgeous office building - Davenport 360. He was proud of his accomplishments and rightly so. Michael saw his building completed in 2019. Davenport 360 will stand as his legacy. Michael is survived by and is greatly missed by his loving wife, Ruby Ayer of Austin, Texas, his brother Roger and wife Stella of Florida and Roger's son Ferenc and his family of Virginia, his sister Phyllis of Washington and her son Tyler and daughter Mikaela of Washington. Michael had no biological children but had 3 stepchildren that he very much considered his own. His daughter Jessica of California, his son David of Illinois and his daughter Christine of Texas. Michael's in laws Carl & Linda of Texas, his sister in law, Carla of Texas and her son Zach and his family of Texas, Michael's cousins Nancy, Dan and Dale all from California. Michael leaves behind a lot of family and friends that loved him and will always remember him for the kind and loving person that he was. A Celebration of Life will be planned when we are all able to gather together again. If you would like to make a memorial donation, Michael was a great believer in giving back to the veterans who have given so much.