Jeanne L. Akers, 55, of Hudson, formerly of Augusta, passed away surrounded by her family on Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013 after a long battle with multiple system atrophy .
Jeanne Lou Akers, daughter of Vilas “Oscar” and Romania “Dolly” (Rahl) Sieg was born March 8, 1958 in Augusta. She was raised in Augusta, where she was baptized at the E.U.B. Church and confirmed at the United Methodist Church. She graduated from Augusta High School in 1976 and went on to attend St. Mary’s Junior College in Minneapolis, where she received a physical therapy assistant degree in 1978. She was united in marriage to Thomas Akers on Sept. 22, 1979 at the United Methodist Church in Augusta. The couple lived in Ritchfield, Minnesota until moving to Hudson in 1992. Jeanne had worked as a physical therapist in Edina, Minnesota, at Hudson Hospital and was working in Stillwater when her illness forced her retirement. Jeanne loved her family and enjoyed the time spent at the family farm where she grew up. In her younger years she especially enjoyed snowmobiling in the area with family and friends.
She was a member of the Hudson United Methodist Church, where she taught Sunday school for many years and volunteered with their youth group. She loved traveling on vacations or just an afternoon drive through the countryside. Winter was a special time of year to Jeanne as she loved to shovel snow with her neighbor and dear friend Sally. In 2007, despite the early symptoms of her illness, she was able to fly to Australia to visit her daughter Emma. After her illness manifested itself, she still made the best of her yearly appointments to Rochester, by having a great time hanging out with Emma, Pam and Roella. In the recent months she looked forward to her daily morning call from Emma and her nightly call from her mother. Helping others was important to Jeanne and because of this she made the conscious decision to help those suffering with multiple system atrophy through research donation.
She will be deeply missed by her husband, Tom of Hudson; daughter Emma Akers (Andrew Podobinski) of Minneapolis; son Carson Akers, mother Dolly Sieg, and sister Pamela (Bob) Weiss all of Augusta; niece, Roella Weiss who was cherished by Jeanne; mother-in-law, Gloria (Carl) Hort of Eau Claire; brothers and sisters-in-law, Karen (Terry) Pecor of Ridgeland, Billy (Lori) Akers of Blaine, MN and their families; and canine companion, Peanut. Jeanne will also be missed by her aunts and uncles, Darrell and Mary Haskins, Doreen and Warren Barberg, Iner and Joan Stensen and many very close cousins.
She was reunited in heaven with her dearly loved grandparents, Richard and Emma Sieg, Robert and LouLou Rahl, father Oscar Sieg who passed away March 5, 2012, brother-in-law, Larry Akers and faithful dogs, Bart and Shilo.
Funeral services will be held Sat. Dec. 21, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. at the United Methodist Church in Augusta, with burial in the West Lawn Cemetery, Augusta. Friends may call form 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday at the Anderson Funeral Home in Augusta, and one hour prior to services Saturday at the church. Memorial services will also be held at the Hudson United Methodist Church, time and date to be announced later.
The family would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful women of the United Methodist Church in Hudson, dear neighbors, Al and Sally Abley and special cousin Lorna Heath. Your friendship, care, support and love for Jeanne will never be forgotten.