Wayne Mathew Ayers Jr.

October 11, 1946 – December 19, 2024

Wayne Mathew Ayers Jr. passed away peacefully on December 19, 2024 in his Provincetown, MA home. He turned 78 in October, issuing insightful and amusing commentary on the socioeconomic and geopolitical state of the world up until the end!

Wayne was born on October 11,1946 in Madison, Wisconsin to Mary (Franke) and Wayne M. Ayers. He graduated from Madison West High School in 1964 and from University of Wisconsin at Madison in 1968. He went on to earn a PHD in Economics from Cornell University in 1973.

After Cornell, Wayne began his Economics career as an economist for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System in Washington, DC where he served as an assistant to its late Governor Henry Wallich. In 1979, he moved to Boston to join the Bank of Boston as Senior Economist, later being named BankBoston’s Chief Economist, and Chief Economist for Fleet Boston Corporation when BankBoston and Fleet merged in 1999. As Chief Economist, Wayne was the bank’s principal voice on the regional, national and international economy. He had a broad reach into Greater Boston’s households as he was frequently broadcast live on Boston area radio and television. Wayne served as Chairman of the Economic Advisory Committee of the American Bankers Association in the 1990s, and was a regular speaker at the New England Bankers Association meetings. He was an Adjunct Professor of Economics at Boston University’s Graduate School of Management in the early 1980s, and served in the US Army Reserves in the late 1970s.

In Boston in the late 1970’s Wayne met his partner of 45 years, Thomas F. Coen Jr. They lived in Boston’s Back Bay for many years before retiring in 2004 to their home in Provincetown where they enjoyed travel, town life and involvement in local affairs.

Wayne was predeceased by his parents Wayne and Mary, his stepmother Maureen Ayers, and his brother, Kevin Ayers. He is survived by his partner Tom Coen; the Coen family, including siblings Joe Coen, Mary Coen-Wyman, and Theresa Barisano; his cousins Judy Martinez, Don Speth and Robert Speth; and many longtime friends who will greatly miss his singularly engaging and eclectic wisdom and irreverent wit.

Burial arrangements will be coordinated by Nickerson Funeral Home, Wellfleet, MA. Honoring Wayne’s wishes, he will be cremated and burial at the Provincetown Municipal Cemetery will be private. Donations in Wayne’s memory can be made to Outer Cape Health Services (49 Harry Kemp Way, Provincetown, MA 02657).