ELISE LARKIN AYERS
Mother, Daughter, Wife, Sister, Friend, Colleague, Citizen of the World, Humanitarian, Lover of Life Elise was born on September 1, 1965 and left us too soon on November 23, 2014. Elise grew up in Foxboro, Massachusetts and graduated from Foxboro High School. Elise went on to graduate from Skidmore College with degrees in Biology and Psychology, and earned a Masters in Public Health from Boston University. From an early age she excelled in academics, was active, curious about other cultures, and interested in helping others. In 1997, Elise joined the Peace Corps, working in Togo, West Africa. It was a job that changed her life course, and ignited her passion for international health and development. Elise began her service with U.S. Agency for International Development in 2000. She moved to Uganda, and played multi-faceted leadership roles in combatting AIDS. Her work received a “Superior Honor” Award in 2011 for her tireless efforts to improve health and education. In her most recent position as Director of the Office of Country Support in Washington, D.C., she advanced global partnerships aimed at fostering a supportive relationship between Washington and the field. Elise’s approach to everything was total immersion, and her personal life was no different. She built a community for herself in Kampala that still centers around her orbit. Her co-workers and friends alike were drawn to her humor, intelligence, warmth, exuberance and ability to cut through to what was most important. It was in Uganda where she met her husband Ben and children Ditton and Lucy. Their family expanded with the arrival of their daughters, first Issadora, then Zalira. Parenting was perhaps Elise’s greatest calling of all. Elise delighted in serving as mentor and advocate for her elder kids, and as nurturer and role model for her younger ones. Her entire extended family shined in the bright light of her unconditional love, and benefitted from her sometime challenging and probing nudges to excel beyond what we thought possible. Elise’s earliest career endeavors showed dedication to women’s health issues, dying with dignity, and cancer prevention. When more recent life events caused her to deal with these issues more personally, she took on the challenge with the same spiritedness and optimism that has been her hallmark. Elise is survived by her husband, Benedict (Ben) Bamulumbye, children Ditton, Lucy, Issadora and Zalira, parents Charlene Kaye (Vince Agostino), Russell Ayers, and Marge McNaughton, brothers Colin (Tanja) and Chris (Kelly), nephews Ian and Lukas, niece Helen and countless friends across the globe. Relatives and friends may call at Collins Funeral Home, 500 University Blvd., West, Silver Spring, MD on Sunday, November 30, from 2 to 4 p.m. with a celebration of Elise’s life at 2:30 p.m. Elise requested that we wear bright colors, and come prepared to share memories and music. In lieu of flowers, please honor Elise with a donation to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition: www.ovarian.org, 2501 Oak Lawn Avenue, Suite 435, Dallas, TX 75219 or a similar charity of your choice . In lieu of flowers, please honor Elise with a donation to the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition: www.ovarian.org, 2501 Oak Lawn Avenue, Suite 435, Dallas, TX 75219 or a similar charity of your choice.
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