Audrey was born January 24, 1944 to Pete and Caroline (Voltin) Hamers in the Williston, ND hospital. She grew up in Ray and attended the Ray Public Schools. In her teen years she worked on the weekends at the Midway Drive-In Theater, which her brother, Cecil, owned and operated. She graduated from Ray High School in 1962.
She married Lyle “David” Aho on August 14, 1962. They lived in Velva and Tioga for a short time following their marriage. They then moved to Ray to take care of Audrey’s father, who was in poor health and passed away in 1963. In May 1964, they moved to Stanley before moving to Crosby in January of 1967 where Lyle was hired as a mechanic by the Crosby International Harvester dealer. Audrey’s mother moved in with them to help take care of their children. Following the death of Lyle’s mother, they moved their family and Caroline back to Stanley, in April 1969, to be closer to Lyle’s family. They purchased a house in Stanley and raised their family there. Audrey’s marriage to Lyle ended in October 1984. She then moved to Devils Lake and worked as a desk clerk at the Davis Motel. She moved to Minot in September of 1985. Due to some health issues resulting from injuries she sustained in a car accident in 1977, she was no longer able to work a regular job. In May 1986, Audrey moved back to Stanley to be close to her family.
In 1987, Audrey met LeRoy Jones of Sherwood, through the Minot Singles Club. They got married on November 21, 1987 and lived in Sherwood. LeRoy owned and operated a gas station/auto repair shop, which his father started in the 1950s and in 1997, LeRoy closed the business. Audrey and LeRoy then moved to Stanley when LeRoy was hired as a mechanic by Anderson Equipment in Ross. They lived with Lyle for 14 months in Stanley, since he was living alone in a 5 bedroom house. Lyle and LeRoy had been friends in the 1970s when Lyle worked in the Sherwood area oil fields. Audrey, LeRoy, and Lyle remained good friends, until Lyle’s death in 2002.
In 1998, Audrey and LeRoy moved back to Sherwood and in 2003, they moved to Mohall. In February 2009, Audrey moved into the Mohall Good Samaritan Home, following a stroke. In November 2009, she moved to the Minot Trinity Nursing Home and in August 2013, she moved to the Mountrail Bethel Home in Stanley and resided there until her death.
Before her stroke, Audrey enjoyed cooking, baking, candy making, and cake decorating. She made many kinds of candy and baked goods for bake sales, bazaars, and craft shows. She also baked and decorated birthday, anniversary, and wedding cakes. She also enjoyed writing poetry.
Audrey is survived by her and Lyle’s sons, Joseph (Kim), Stanley, Jerome (Lorraine), Kannapolis, NC, James (Patricia), Stanley; granddaughters, Shalene (fiancée, Norman Ogden), White Earth, Elizabeth, Minot, Kristal (fiancée, Isaac James), West Fargo; step grandchildren, Tyler (Stephanie) Getzlaff, Mandan, Brandon Getzlaff, Stanley, Desiree Getzlaff (companion, Andrew Weidmer), Minot; step great grandchildren, Courtney Getzlaff, Aiden Getzlaff, and Abel Weidmer; foster sister, Linda (Oliver) Garrison, Cincinnati, OH; several nieces and nephews.
Audrey is preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Charles, Chester, Cecil, and Lester “Eugene”; sisters, Lucille “Hap” Weber, and LaVonne “Bonnie” Garaas.