William (Bill) Rodney Akers passed away peacefully at home on Wednesday, October 13, 202 1 at the age of 98. He was preceded in death by the love of his life and wife of 71 years, Jeanne Sweeney Akers and his son, John Edward.  He is survived by six of his children, Kathy (Earl) Davis, Eileen (Michael) Kain , Phil (Monica), Jeannie (Rich, deceased 2020) Saccomanno , Sheila (Ted) Warne, and Bill ( Tesie ). He had 17 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren.

Bill was born July 22, 1923 in Seattle, Washington. He attended Catholic grade school at St. Joseph's and St. John's, before going to Seattle Prep, where he graduated in 1941. The values instilled in him during these formative years — personal responsibility, courage, honor, and faith — would be constant throughout his life, and certainly guided him through the Great Depression and into the thick of World War II.

If you knew Bill, then you already know he was a humble and proud WWII veteran. He was drafted in 1943 while working at a shipyard and reported to officer training at Hendrick's College in Arkansas later that year. His training was cut short by the escalation in Europe, and he and the rest of the Fighting 99th were dispatched to France. Eventually, they served as the tip of the Allied Sword on the northern front during The Battle of the Bulge. He was wounded there while carrying another soldier off the field and subsequently awarded a Purple Heart.

After the war, Bill returned to Seattle to begin his career and family. He was president of the Seattle Junior Chamber of Congress and started his career at Fidelity Mutual Savings Bank. When the opportunity presented itself, Bill relocated from Seattle to Spokane and spent the rest of his career at Fidelity. He quickly put down roots and was an active member of the community. For many years, he enjoyed announcing local sporting events on the radio. He was especially proud of his involvement in raising the funds to build St. Charles Catholic Church, which would become his family's parish home for nearly 60 years.

Bill was a family man, through and through, and this is what he'd most want to be remembered for. He married Jeanne Sweeney on April 21, 1945, and they had seven children together. An encouraging and loving husband and father, Bill sacrificed throughout his life to provide opportunities and support to his family. As the family grew, Bill and Jeanne loved spending summers at the cabin in Coolin Bay, hosting holidays, and attending the endless birthdays, First Communions, and graduations that come with the blessing of a large family. Bill relished being a grandfather, and " Unc " routinely and sincerely told each and every kid in the family they were "the best one of the whole bunch."

In retirement, Bill and Jeanne traveled to Hawaii, New England, the Oregon coast, Mexico, and Ireland, but most of his free time was spent on the golf course. Bill had a true appreciation for the game, but the camaraderie he found in the regular patrons and staff at The Fairways was the real motivation for his daily trips to the course. He had a knack for being able to connect with anyone and genuinely liked a good conversation. He was quick with a joke and always had a story on the tip of his tongue. Bill loved sports, music, and a good bite of food and a sip of the Irish, and was able to find joy in the passage of time.

The family would like to extend their heartfelt appreciation to Sergei and Lidiana Jacot , the staff of Golden Horizons Adult Family Home, and Hospice, all of whom cared for Bill during the last years of his life as if he were a member of their own family. Their tender compassion, patience, and generosity toward Bill — and the entire family — will be remembered gratefully.