Alice Ayler
Alice Blanche Bullis Ayler died June 2, 2005, at the age of 85.
She was born June 29, 1919, in Rose Bloom, N.Y., to Charles Bullis and Orena Woodbeck.
Abandoned by her parents at the age of nine, Alice and her four younger siblings were taken into the custody of the Children's Aid Society. They were fed and clothed, and eventually put onto trains to the Midwest to be adopted by strangers. These were known as the orphan trains. They ran from New York City to the Midwest from 1850 to 1929, carrying an estimated 200,000 children.
Alice was one of the last three girls to ride the trains. She was taken to Marion, where she lived with several families before graduating from Marion High School in 1938.
In 1939 she married her high school sweetheart, Donald Melvin Ayler. They had a son, Donald Bruce Ayler, and adopted a daughter, Ann Lynn Ayler.
In 1950, they moved to Oklahoma City.
At the age of 50, Alice began classes at UCO, graduating in 1973 with a double major in sociology and psychology. She earned a master's in education in 1977. She then worked in the Oklahoma City school system as a psychometrist and school psychologist for many years.
Later she became active with the Orphan Train Heritage Society, speaking at local schools and conferences. She was the subject of numerous magazine and newspaper articles, as well as television interviews.
She was loved by the many school children who saw the theatrical presentation by Pippa White about her and the other orphan train riders.
In 1998 she was awarded the Freedom Foundation Medal for her work and contributions to the Society.
The personal effects from her childhood have been donated, and are on display at the University of Central Oklahoma.
Alice was preceded in death by her husband Donald, and her daughter, Ann.
She is survived by her son, Donald Bruce Ayler and wife, Donna of Moore, Okla.; three grandchildren, Patric Ayler and wife Mary of Austin, Texas, Karen Factor of Moore, Okla., and Tracy Ayler of Pensacola, Fla.; as well as seven great-grandchildren.
Funeral services were held Tuesday at Paylor Funeral Home with graveside services to follow at Arlington Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Orphan Train Heritage Society in Springdale, Ark., or Valir Hospice, located at 825 N. Broadway, Suite 400, Oklahoma City OK 73102.
