James Edward Ayres, 78, died on March 10, 2015. Jim received a BA from Fresno State College, and an MA from the University of Arizona. He was a pioneer in historical archaeology of the West, remaining active in the field until shortly before his death. He directed excavations for the Tucson Urban Renewal Project, headed the research division at the Arizona State Museum, served as Arizona State Historic Preservation Officer, taught at both ASU and UofA, and did independent consulting. He indexed all of Tucson's English-language newspapers from 1870 to 1911, the results of which will be published posthumously as a research tool for historians and archaeologists. Jim served as President of the Society for Historical Archaeology and received the society's two highest awards. He chaired the Tucson-Pima County Historical Commission and received the Arizona Governor's Award for Historic Preservation. Jim is survived by his wife, Marianne, and three brothers. No plans for a memorial have been made, but contributions may be sent to Arizona Historical Society Archives or American Heritage Center, Laramie WY. (Source: Arizona Republic)