OMAHA — Pamela M. "Pam" (Riessland) Ayers, 56, of La Vista, formerly of Kearney, died of a brain aneurysm Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014, at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha.

Memorial services will be at 10:30 a.m. Friday at St. James Catholic Church in Kearney with the Rev. Alex Borzych officiating. Burial will be at Kearney Cemetery. O'Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral Home in Kearney is in charge of arrangements.

She was born Jan. 2, 1958, in Kearney to Lawrence and Pauline (Nickman) Riessland.

In 1978, she married Charles "Chuck" Ayers.

Survivors include her husband; children, Ryan Wilson and his wife, Sam, of Laramie, Wyo., Larry Ayers of La Vista and his fiancée, Tara Rohmeyer, Amber Ayers of La Vista and Angela Ayers and her husband, Amen Sekle, of Omaha; grandchildren, Lane, Hannah and Rose Wilson and Charlotte "Charlee" Ayers; brothers and sisters-in-law, Roger and Janet Riessland of Amherst and Dick and Connie Riessland of Pleasanton; sister and brother-in-law, Jeanette and Dale Taubenheim of Amherst; sister, Debbie Atkinson of Kearney; father-in-law, Art Ayers of Kearney; and sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law, Willy and Pam Paez of Parker, Colo., Andrea and Robin Gwynn of Dallas, Pa., and Debbie Ayers, wife of the late Mark Ayers, of Kearney. Pam had a large family and had many nieces and nephews whom she loved.

She graduated from Kearney Catholic High School and received her degree at Central Community College.

Pam spent most of her life in the Kearney area. While in school and raising her family, she worked several part-time jobs at places that included Sirloin Stockade, Runza, Elks Club and Top Hat Furniture. In 1978, she and her husband owned and operated Furniture Manor in Hastings. That store was sold out and she moved back to Kearney and worked at Top Hat Furniture part time while raising her family.

In 1984, Pam and her father-in-law founded Ayers Distributing in her laundry room. Ayers Distributing is now one of the nation's largest charitable gaming and bingo suppliers, and it eventually grew into what it is today. Pam loved Avon and began selling Avon in 2005 and had been a steady member of its Presidents Club since.

Pam was a member of American Legion Post 52 Auxiliary, the Eagles Auxiliary in both Kearney and Papillion, the Women of the Moose, Elks Lodge 39 of Omaha and Bay Hills Golf Club in Plattsmouth. She loved spending time with her granddaughters, socializing with anyone, golfing and bowling.

She had an infectious smile and great laugh. Most people she met were friends in minutes. She truly loved people. Children warmed up to her immediately and loved her bright smile.

She was preceded in death by her parents; mother-in-law, Joan Ayers; and brother-in-law, Mark Ayers.