Stephen Lawrence Ayer (Poppy), 63, of Big Spring died Sunday, July 23, 2017, at Scenic Mountain Medical Center. The family received friends from 6 p.m. until 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 25, 2017, at Myers and Smith Funeral Home. Funeral service was at 1 p.m. Wednesday, July 26, 2017, at Trinity Baptist Church, with Scott Kirkland and Joey Bacon officiating. Graveside service will be at 1 p.m. on Thursday, July 27, 2017, at Crestview Memorial Park in Wichita Falls, Texas.Stephen Lawrence Ayer (Poppy) was born on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 26, 1953, at 12:30 p.m., in Wichita Falls, Texas, to Imogene Eavenson Ayer and Albert Lawrence Ayer Jr. Mom said she missed her turkey dinner and had a butterball instead. Steve was raised in Wichita Falls and graduated from Rider High School as Brigade Commander in ROTC in 1972. Steve's most important event in his life was when he accepted Jesus Christ as Savior at the age of 12. He was never the same after that; he had found someone who loved him as he was, and forgave him.Steve met Pamela Huff (Ayer) at the age of 18, and they were married June 17, 1973. Steve worked for the City of Wichita Falls as a Lake Ranger at Lake Arrowhead while going to college. Pam taught school, and Steve graduated Midwestern with a BBA in May 1977. Steve worked as an accountant for Cobra Oil and Gas and Expando Oil and Gas, and was Office Manager for WB Hamilton Estate Operating Company. After Mr. John Hamilton passed away, Steve went back to the City of Wichita Falls personnel department, and then to the American Red Cross. Steve went to work for the City of Wichita Falls Police Department as a Crime Analyst, and had the best job and best friends as police officers he could hope for. Steve served on the WFISD school board, the Board of Directors WFPD Citizens Police Academy, and was President of the , along with other community services. Steve moved to Big Spring, Texas, in June 2012, and worked for Howard College, and then for the GEO Group as an auditor at the Big Spring Correctional Center. Steve and Pam had three children whom he dearly loved, Julie Sue (Bacon), Gregory Stephen, and Philip Michael. Steve was preceded in death by Pam, who passed on to Heaven Feb. 3, 1989; and his mother, Imogene Ayer, who passed Jan. 11, 2016.Steve met Judy Jordan in 2009 at church, and they were married in November of 2010. Steve and Judy moved to Big Spring in 2012, where Judy finished her 33 years of music teaching.Steve loved Jesus Christ, and was honored to be a deacon for over 35 years. Steve had been a Junior Church and Bus director, had been superintendent of the High School department, and then College and Career. Steve's family had participated in a Mission trip to Mexico to the Allende Mountain Orphanage run by the Starlings Missionary family. Steve had also been Church Treasurer and he and Judy had been active in the Reformers Unanimous ministry. Steve and Judy had also fallen in love with another mission, the Navajo mission in Grants, N.M., at the Haystack Indian reservation. The Navajo people were the most precious people.Steve is survived by his wife Judy of Big Spring; his father, Albert Lawrence Ayer, and his sister Susan Ellis of Wichita Falls; his daughter Julie and husband Joey Bacon (Missions director of the World Baptist Missions Agency); granddaughters, Emily and Mallory Bacon, all of Arlington, Texas; his son Gregory (Navy) and wife Irene, with grandson Aidan and granddaughter Pamela, all of San Angelo Texas; and son Philip Michael (Navy) and wife Spenser of Big Spring, Texas; stepson Matthew Stephen Aldaco of Paducah, Ken.; and stepdaughter Jordan Aldaco of Dallas, Texas; and in-laws Jack and Joyce Jordan of Wichita Falls, Texas. There are also many, many, other adopted children and grandchildren, all of whom brought him much happiness and thankfulness. May God bless you each one continually.Steve was a true servant of God. If Steve could tell you one thing from beyond the grave, he would tell you, "Please, consider and trust Jesus Christ as savior, all the other 'good' things you do will not allow you into heaven, only trusting Jesus Christ!" Romans 3:23, 6:23 and Romans 10, 9 and 10.Pallbearers are: Joe Holguin, T.J. Lipham, David Roman, Earl Permenter, Billy Atchley, and Cecil Willey. Honorary pallbearer is Joe Adams.Arrangements are by Myers and Smith Funeral Home. Pay your respects online at www.myersandsmith.com.