Remembering PRSA Colorado Past-President and Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Rendall Ayers
Rendall Paul Ayers died January 7, 2022. Rendy, as he was known to his many friends, was born to Richard (Dick) K. Ayers and G. Christine (Chris) Paul Ayers in Wichita Falls, Tex., Aug. 25, 1937.
The young family moved frequently as Dick was reassigned bases while serving in the U.S. Navy. They ended up in Denver when Rendy was seven, following Dick’s tuberculosis diagnosis. Rendy graduated from Denver’s East High School then enrolled at the University of Colorado where after a few starts and stops, he earned a degree in Journalism. It is at CU where Rendy met his wife of more than 60 years, Sara Lee Hoffman, at a Sigma Chi fraternity party.
Immediately following college, like many of his peers, Rendy joined the Army where he served in communications and intelligence stateside. He remained in the Army Reserves until the mid-60s.
After his active service, Rendy leveraged his journalism degree into a job with The Associated Press, where he was initially stationed in Helena, Mont. He also dabbled in public relations working at his father’s firm from time to time. He made his way back to Colorado to work at the Denver Post covering the statehouse, a job he enjoyed immensely. Eventually, Rendy traded in his reporter credentials first to head up communications for the Insurance Information Institute and then to lead the public relations team for Safeway Stores Rocky Mountain Region.
After leaving Safeway, Rendy became a public relations consultant specializing in issues management and crisis communications for some of the area’s largest public relations firms. Toward the end of his career, he went to work with his daughter at Ayers Strategic Public Relations in Denver. He was a longtime member of the Public Relations Society of America, its Counselors Academy and its College of Fellows. Active in the Colorado Chapter of PRSA, Rendy was its president in 1978, some 20 years after his father served in the same role. He also received its Lifetime Achievement Award along with many Gold and Silver Picks throughout the years.
Rendy is survived by his wife Sara, his son Reed A. Ayers, his daughter Sydney L. Ayers and his grandsons Alexander (Alex) J. Shefrin and Jakob (Jack) K. Shefrin, as well as his adored dogs, Lizzy and Tony.
Due to ongoing concerns with COVID, the family will host a celebration of life later in the summer – the time Rendy loved best in Colorado. Donations in Rendy’s memory may be made to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the Denver Dumb Friends League, the Colorado Mountain Club or a charity of the donor’s choice.
Rendall Paul Ayers
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