Vesta Jean Akins

Vesta Jean Akins was born at Bethel, Kansas, January 8, 1920, to Charles C. and Vesta Joahonson Rutheaford and passed away March 17, 2014, at the Sylvia Thompson Residential Care Center, in Sedalia, Missouri. Early in Jean's life, her mother married Floyd Storey who was "daddy" to her all her life. Jean was united in marriage to Gerald V. Akins at Tonganoxie, Kansas, on June 27, 1937. They celebrated 53 years together before his passing in 1991. Jean and Gerald spent most of their life on a dairy farm near Dunnegan, Missouri, until their "retirement" in 1973 when they moved to Humansville. Jean worked at the Humansville and Osceola hospitals as a practical nurse for several years. She was active in the Dunnegan Extension Club and member of the First Baptist Church in Humansville. Following her husband's death she became a Foster Grandparent in the Humansville School District and was known far and wide as "Grandma Jean". She loved to knit and crochet and provided members of her family, as well as many friends, with her handiwork. After moving to assisted living in Bolivar she crocheted over 500 hats for premature babies for the Madison's Angels program. In addition to her husband, Jean was preceded in death by her parents, her brother, Charles Jr., and one daughter-in-law, Kay. She is survived by her children, Jeannine and LeRoy Roberts, Raleigh, North Carolina, Zane Akins, The Villages, Florida, Boyd and Frances Akins, Louisburg, Kansas, and Jerry and Carolyn Akins, Knob Noster, Missouri. She is also survived by 10 grandchildren, 18 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-granddaughter. Funeral services, officiated by Rev. Asher McDaniel, will be held at 9:00, Thursday, March 20, at Murray Funeral Home in Bolivar. Visitation will be 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Wednesday evening. Interment will be at the Lindley Prairie Cemetery at Bear Creek. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a memorial contribution to Madison's Angels or the Grandma Jean Education Fund for the Humansville School District. Memorials may be left with the funeral home.Online condolences may be submitted at www.murrayfuneralhomes.com. PDF Printable Version

Vesta Jean Akins

January 8, 1920 - March 17, 2014