Agnes was born the last of four children, her Dutch name was Aukje. She was the only member of the family to have been born in America. She was baptized in the Christian Reformed Church. Her parents emigrated from the Netherlands in 1890, going straight to Grand Rapids, Michigan where other family members had moved previously. She grew up in a comfortable Dutch neighborhood. After her schooling she met George Ayars while working as a clerk at Steketee's Department Store. George and Agnes married in Grand Rapids in the summer of 1917, both were 23 years old. Because of their different religious upbringings, they compromised and attended the Reformed Church, where all five children were baptized. Three boys, George, John and Donald were born then daughter Betty in 1930. One of Agnes's sadder moments was when her fifth child was stillborn in 1933. The baby was buried in the cemetery where Agnes and George repose, placed in a small coffin between them. A sixth child, Bonnie was born much to the families surprise in 1938 when Agnes was 44 years of age. Agnes was a "Dutch mother," keeping her family clean and tidy. She was frugal and used her resources sparingly. She enjoyed fishing like George and going to northern Michigan in the summer for vacation. One of the favorite family meals she learned from her Dutch parents was lima beans and metworst, now a 5th generation favorite. Upon husband Georges retirement, she too moved to the Los Angeles area to be by their oldest son George and Brother–law Russ. After George's sudden passing, Agnes and Bonnie lived for another seven years in Van Nuys. Agnes returned to Michigan for a visit in 1963. While back home she did not feel well and came to find out that she had serious cancer. She decided not to return to California, so for the next few months in declining health lived between her son Don's home and daughter Betty's home. She died less than a month before President Kennedy's assassination in 1963. She was interred next to her baby and husband.