Janet Ruth (Beckstrand) Akers

Janet Ruth Beckstrand Akers, age 77 loving wife and mother passed away on March 29, 2022. Born on June 13, 1944 to the late Ruth and Wallace Beckstrand, she was raised in Lafayette, Indiana.  She graduated from Purdue University in 1966 with a B.S. degree in Speech and Hearing Therapy and taught speech correction in the public schools in Michigan, Colorado and Indiana.  In the summer of 1967, she met her first and only love, Bowen (Bo) on a blind date. They were married August 10, 1968 and celebrated their Golden 50th Anniversary in August, 2018. Homemaking and motherhood became her main focus once their children were born. In addition, she chaired and participated in various activities including the Junior League and her Kappa Alpha Theta alumnae clubs, and was a Cambridge Diet Counselor in each of the towns they lived (Princeton, N.J, and Wilton, CT).  She enjoyed working part time in a boutique linen shop, sewing window treatments, doing preschool vision and hearing screening, and helping friends with their businesses or work.   She enjoyed crafts, gardening, bridge, sewing, daily walks, and reading.  Bo & Janet loved their lives in the Northeast, except for the huge snowstorms each winter. When they started to think about retirement in the next few years, they began a search for the perfect place to live out their years.  They were always drawn to lakes, the NY Sound, and NJ beach towns, so their dream location would have to be near the water. Reynolds on Lake Oconee filled that expectation; so, in 2003 they bought a lot, built a house and were moved in within a year. It brought great pleasure to Janet and Bo to share their lake home and all the activities the lake offered with their daughter Kimberly and her husband Justin Friesen, and their children Ryan, Blake and Brady who live in Westport, CT; and to their son Jeff and his wife Julie Akers and their children, Sydney, Kaylee, and Maggie who live in Hinsdale, IL  Her children and grandchildren, all of whom she cherished deeply were the love of her life. After moving to Reynolds, each year thereafter they planned special trips with good friends or family to countries worldwide.  Janet’s other “favorite things” were cruises, red sunsets reflecting off the lake, patriotic songs, boat rides and frequent dinners out with good friends. She was a member of the Greensboro United Methodist Church and the Nelson Circle.

Besides her husband Bo and their immediate family, she also leaves behind two treasured sisters with whom she was particularly close—Judy Rush, Indianapolis, IN and her husband Tom and Jeanne Oehm, Menlo Park, CA, and her husband Ron. Other survivors include brother-in-law Steve Akers and wife and close friend Audrey, West Lafayette, IN.
Her friends were very important to her and she is so grateful for their friendship and the love and support they have given her through her illness. 

A Memorial Service will be held at the Greensboro First United Methodist Church at the South Campus on Carey Station Road on April 13, 2022 at 2:00 PM.  A reception will follow at the Church.  In lieu of flowers, please send donations in honor of Janet Akers, to St. Mary’s Good Samaritan Foundation, 1230 Baxter Street, Athens, GA 30606.   McCommons Funeral Home, 109 W. Broad St., Greensboro, GA  (706) 453-2626 is in charge of arrangements.  Visit us at www.mccommonsfuneralhome.com to sign the online guest register.

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