James Akers Obituary

James O. Akers, age 86, passed away January 18, 2006 in Colorado Springs. He was born October 1, 1919 in Lewiston, Idaho to Hilbert and O'Celia (Theraldson) Akers. Jim joined the Army Air Corp in 1941. During World War II he was assigned to a B-17 bomber as flight engineer and top-turret gunner. His plane was shot down over Germany, and he spent nearly two years as a POW until the war ended. After serving in Japan during the Korean War, Jim was stationed at Fort Carson in 1953 and retired from the Army in 1962. After retirement, Jim started and sold several small businesses and in 1969 went to work for the United States Postal Service, retiring in 1983. He spent much of the next 17 years on the golf course until his heart was weakened by a late-life battle with cancer. Jim is survived by his wife of 61 years, Esther; son, Jack of Colorado Springs; daughter, Julie Moran of Stuart, Florida; and sister, Maxine Buck of Goodhue, Minnesota. He is also survived by five grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son, Jerry in 1988 and his sisters: Marcy Stuge and Dorothy Feigum. Jim will be entombed at the Shrine of Remembrance Mausoleum in the Gate of Heaven. His battles are finally over and he will be dearly missed.