Akers, Origen Bliss 1876 - 1964

AKERS, FITCH, MCDEID, HILLMAN

Posted By: Doris Hoffman, Volunteer (email)
Date: 3/1/2012 at 11:06:49

DEATH SUMMONS A FORMER AKRON RESIDENT FEB. 26

Last Rites Are Held Here Last Friday For 0. B. Akers

Brief mention was made in these columns last week of the passing of a former well-known and respected resident of Akron, O. B. Akers, of Grover, S. D., on February 26, at a nursing home in Watertown, S. D., at the age, of 87 years, 3 months and 3 days. He had been in fairly good health until about two months ago, when he was stricken with influenza.

Origen Bliss Akers was born November 23, 1876, in Weston, Illinois, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Fitch Akers. They came to South Dakota in 1881, homesteading near blunt, and experienced and endured the many hardships and privations of pioneer life. They afterward lived, at Iroquois, S. D., and Pipestone, Minn. Entering railroad work, O. B. served as station agent at Hull, Iowa; Plainview, Nebr.; Delmont and Hudson, S. D., coming to Akron with his family in 1900 and serving as depot agent for the Milwaukee road for a number of years. Going to Grover, S. D., in 1943 he was agent for the Great Northern railroad until retiring.

He married Ethel McDeid on December 30, 1900, at Hull, Ia. She died in 1918.

He married Beatrice Hillman on March 27, 1927, at Mount Carroll, Ill.

Survivors include the widow, Beatrice, three daughters, Mrs. Donald (Lucille) Ross of Akron, Mrs. Eldon (Carrie) Brady of Grand Junction, Ia., and Mrs. Lyle (Olive) Raben of Rapid city, S. D.; a son, O. B. Akers of Mesa, Ariz.; 10 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

He was also preceded in death by one son, Forrest, of Chicago, Ill., August 26, 1963.

Mr. Akers was an accomplished musician, direction choirs and bands, composing and having published several band marches and ballads.

Funeral services were held February 27 in a funeral chapel in Watertown, S. d., and on Friday afternoon in Akron at Wesley Methodist church, Rev. Donald Roberts officiating. Richard Smith was soloist and Mrs. Orin Harris was accompanist. Casket bearers were Velton Barr, John Van Hagel, Claude Anderson, George Sawyer, V. G. Adams and Gerald F. Smith. Interment was in Riverside Cemetery.

Relatives attending from a distance were: Mrs. O. B. Akers, Grover, S. D.; Mr. and Mrs. Eldon Brady and daughter, Sharon, of Grand Junction, Ia.; Mr. and Mrs. Lyle Raben and son, Tim, of Rapid City, S. D.; Mrs. Forrest Akers, of Chicago, Ill. Mrs. Ada Jordan, of Onida, S. D.

Akron Register Tribune
Thursday, March 5, 1964
Akron, Iowa