Thomas Akers (Tom), 94, of Den Hill Road, Christiansburg, passed away at Lewis Gale Medical Center, Salem on Saturday, March 7, 2020. He was born Oct. 31, 1925, and was retired from S. G. Wimmer & Sons in Christiansburg.
He served in the Army and fought in World War II. He received many awards and medals while serving his country: the Good Conduct Medal, the Army Occupation Medal (Germany) the European African Middle Eastern Theater Ribbon, the Meritorious Unit Award and the World War II Victory Ribbon. He received an honorable discharge.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Merritt and Pearl Akers; his wife, Shirley Price Akers; sisters Annie Altizer and Hazel Duncan; and brothers Newton Akers and Hestle Akers.
Survivors include his sisters, Mildred Pannell of North Carolina., Dorothy Rutte of Floyd and Joyce Shortt of Newport News; nieces and nephews Roley Altizer, Annetta Sowers-Moles, Donald (Sonny) Akers, Eloise Minnick, Phillip Akers, Phyllis Meredith, Greg Pannell, Kim Pannell, Sally Sisson, Dale Akers, Jeffrey Bower, Michael Bower, Chris Bower, Tim Shortt and Mark Shortt; and several other family members.
The Akers family extends a special thanks to Tom’s neighbors as caregivers. Love and a special acknowledgement go to Richard and Donna McNeil, Timmy and Chelsea McNeil and Thomas and Paisley McNeil.
Funeral services will be conducted today, Wednesday, March 11, 2020, at 1 p.m. in the McCoy Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow in the Sunset Cemetery. The family will receive friends from 11 to 1 p.m. today at McCoy Funeral Home, Blacksburg.