Major Willard F. Ayer, USMC (Ret.), 80, of Concord died Thursday January 27, 2011 at Emerson Hospital in Concord. He was the beloved husband of the late Marie L. (Landini) Ayer who died in March, 2010. Born in Lowell on June 5, 1930 he was the son of the late Alva H. Ayer and Evelyn (Smith) Ayer. He attended Lowell public schools and was a 1948 graduate of Lowell High School. Mr. Ayer retired in 1971 as a Major in the United States Marine Corps after 23 years of service. He later worked for 15 years for Middlesex Insurance Co. in Concord and for 10 years at BayBank at Hanscom Field. He was a member of the former Concord Kiwanis Club and a Life member of the Concord Elks Club. He was the devoted father of Carolyn Ayer Conery and her husband Robert of Acton, dear grandfather of Ryan, Cara and Sean Conery, all of Acton, brother of Donald Ayer and his wife Dorothy of Chelmsford, brother-in-law of Paul and Ginger Landini of Concord, Eunice Ayer of Stow, Delores Ayer of Westford and the late Charlotte Marshall and is survived by many loving nieces and nephews. He was also the brother of the late Evelyn Johnson, Esther Zaberiek, Alva Ayer, Robert Ayer, Roger Ayer and Diane Murphy. Memorials: Contributions in Bill's memory may be made to Holy Family Parish, 55 Church Street, Concord, MA 01742 or to the Alzheimer's Association, 311 Arsenal Street, Watertown, Massachusetts 02472. Cemetery: Interment in the family burial plot, St. Bernard's Cemetery, Bedford Street, Concord, Massachusetts. Concord's town flag will fly at half staff in recognition of Mr. Ayer'sservice to his country in the United States Marines. (Korea and Vietnam) Visitation: Monday, January 31st from 4 to 8 p.m. in the Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, CONCORD CENTER Service: Funeral, Tuesday, February 1st from the Dee Funeral Home at 9 a.m., followed by a funeral Mass at 10 a.m. in Holy Family Parish at St. Bernard's Church, Monument Square, Concord Center.