Barbara Ayers Dick

Barbara Ayers Dick, affectionately known as “Barbie”, loving Mother, Sister, Aunt, Friend and Teacher passed away peacefully at her home on September 24th, 2023 after an 18 month battle with a very aggressive form of uterine cancer. A third generation Orlando resident, Barbie attended Princeton Elementary School, Robert E. Lee Middle, and Edgewater High School. She went on to graduate from Florida Technological University (UCF) with a degree in Creative Writing and a minor in French. She is predeceased by her parents, Dolores Gaston Ayers and Robert David Ayers Sr., her brother Gary Ayers, Dr. Darryl Lester Ayers, her Aunt Harriet Ayers, her Uncle Gerald Ayers, her Aunt Sue Tucker Yancey, her nephew Joshua Ayers, former husbands Paul Riley and Joel Dick. She is survived by her daughters Ramelle Riley ( Tina ), Natalia Dick, her brothers Robert David Ayers Jr. (Caryn) and Grady Gaston Ayers (RoseMary) as well as her nieces and nephews Candy Collins (Dave), Ashley Frame (Ray), her nephew Robert David Ayers III (Lauren), Dr. Courtney Rozbitsky (Marcus), Amanda Davis, (Justin), Emily Ayers, Darryl Ayers Jr., Zachary Ayers and Hillary Ayers as well as many great nieces and nephews.

Barbie was the longest faculty member at Park Maitland School, (47 years) teaching right up until two weeks before her passing. Her love and passion for shaping young minds crossed generations of families, as she taught students, as well as the children of those students. She shaped and inspired thousands of children’s minds.

Her love of cooking, traveling, music, reading and writing will always be remembered. She loved plants, nature, reading, philosophy, and hosting dinners with her beloved family and friends.

We would like to thank Dr. Veronica Schimp and the incredible team at the Orlando Health Gynecological Cancer center for their compassion, kindness, and care of our Mother.

Barbie was an amazing soul who taught her daughters to never give up and to always be kind. She is eternally loved and missed. Her light will always shine brighter than the brightest star. We love you Mommy.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, November 4th, 2023 at 1 PM. at the First United Methodist Church of Orlando, 142 E. Jackson St., Orlando, FL. 32801.

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done

by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear

no fate(for you are my fate, my sweet)i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

e.e. cummings