[NewMusic] Don Ayler has passed away

[Henry Kuntz]

>From  <http://www.ayler.org> http://www.ayler.org ("What's New?")
 
Don Ayler (October 5, 1942 - October 21, 2007)
 
November 1, 2007
Richard Koloda emailed me on Monday with the sad news of the death of Donald
Ayler. The funeral was held on Tuesday and Richard kindly sent this report:

"Don Ayler suffered a sudden heart attack on Sunday October 21st, and passed
away very quickly at the home he had been in, in Northfield Ohio. Because of
the suddenness of the death, an autopsy was done. I had found out on October
29th, when my friend Imam Shaheed called me at work. 

The funeral was held at 11 am on October 30th. It was a sunny day, and
moderately warm at 62 degrees. Don was buried in Section 27, lot 200, Grave
3. He was buried next to his mother (his brother is buried in the miltary
section). The hearse from Nesbitt Funeral Home arrived, as did the few
mourners. I met his cousins Claytene Wright, Sandra Wright, and Robert
Johnson. His father was present, as was his niece Desiree and his nephew,
Curtis Roundtree. Among the friends (besides myself), were his two
guardians, a Ms. Formica, and a young man named Jude. The other friends
present were Joe Phillips' brother, Imam Mutawef Shaheed, Robert Taylor (a
Cleveland discjockey), Carrie Roundtree, and Al Rollins.

The coffin was lifted from the hearse by the pallbearers; myself, Imam
Shaheed, Al Rollins, Bob Taylor, the funeral director, and I believe the
other pall bearer was Robert Johnson, or Mr. Phillips. The coffin and its
contents were quite light during the short walk to the plot. A Reverend
Girney read a brief passage from Romans, along with the standard, 'it was
his time according to God's will'. The funeral director opened the casket at
the head one final time, and moved the cloth covering Don's face. We filed
past one final time paiyng our respects. Don looked at peace. He was wearing
a gray sweater and dark pants. We silently said a final prayer, and the
funeral director placed the cloth back over his face and closed the coffin.
We said our final prayers, each of us placing a red rose over the coffin. We
watched it lowered into the grave, and the lid placed over the vault. We
departed taking our memories of a fun guy."