Matthew J. Ayers ’48

Though a lifelong New Jerseyan, Matt was born in Niagara Falls, N.Y., in 1925. Before transferring to Princeton from Franklin and Marshall College, he enlisted in the Navy at age 19; after active duty, he was a Navy reservist until 1951.

He graduated in 1948 with a degree in economics. (While in college he changed his name from Ajewski to Ayers.) His first job after school was as an underwriter at INA Insurance. While there he met and married Joan Harvey, and they were together for 65 years. Most of Matt’s business career was at AIG, where he became vice president of construction risk. He retired in 1992.

The Ayerses raised three children, Michelle, Sharon Nudd, and Matthew Ayers Jr., who survive Matt. There are also two grandchildren and a great-grandchild who survive him, along with Joan. Matt entered an assisted-living facility in 2007, and died there May 18, 2015, at age 90.