JOSEPH WILLIAM AKERS, SR
Joseph William Akers, Sr, 71 of Bluefield, VA, went home to be with the Lord Monday, December 12, 2016 after fighting a courageous 6 year and 7 month battle with cancer. Born July 18, 1945 in Bluefield, VA, he was the son of the late Edna Elizabeth Davis Akers and Joseph Lesco Akers. He was also preceded in death by a grandson, Miles Christopher Akers.
Joe proudly served his country in the United States Air Force with tours of duty in Vietnam and the Dominican Republic. He worked for GTE and then Frontier Communications for 38 years. He was an active member of Ebenezer United Methodist Church and loved his church family very much.
He will be lovingly and affectionately remembered by his wife, Patricia Mae Hayes Akers; his children: Joseph William Akers, Jr and wife, Kateri and Jared Scott Akers and wife, Terri; sisters: Hazel Williams and husband, Randy and Pauline Hardy; grandchildren: Colin, Kelley, Reid, Taegan, Jaelyn, Kaesyn, Zane and Layden Akers; two special friends and prayer partners who supported him throughout these past years, Louis Bolyard and Jeff McMillion, along with neighbors, Ernie and Shirley Kinder, and our Ebenezer Church family as well. Special thanks to Hazel and Randy Williams, who were wonderful help to us the past several years.
A service to celebrate Joe's life will be Friday, December 16, 2016 at 1:00 p.m. at Ebenezer United Methodist Church with Rev Ray Amos and Rev Steve Aker officiating. Burial will follow at Maple Hill Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Joe Akers, Jr, Jared Akers, Ernie Kinder, Jeff McMillion, Louis Bolyard and Ron Smith.
Friends may visit with the family Thursday, December 15, 2016 at Dudley Memorial from 6-8 p.m.

In lieu of flowers,the family request that donations be made to Ebenezer Scholarship Fund or Ebenezer Building Fund, Gov. G C Peery Highway, Bluefield, VA 24605