Agnes Marie Akers

Born April 18, 1927, in Clare, Isabella County, Michigan, Agnes was one of 18 children. She passed away peacefully on February 22, 2026, in Mesa, Maricopa County, Arizona.

A devout Catholic of strong faith, Agnes attended Mass seven days a week and Adoration for six hours every Tuesday until she became homebound. The most memorable high points of her life were the births of her 12 children, attending a Mother’s Day Mass with the Pope at the Vatican and Walking the Way of the Cross to Calvary in Jerusalem.

Always a woman with a strong work ethic, Agnes worked as a waitress while in Clare, Michigan. First at the Hotel Doherty where she met Dick and June Groves, who became dear friends. She also worked for Dick and June at the Lone Pine Motel & Restaurant and later leased a building from the couple to establish the Pioneer Drive-In, which became an iconic hamburger hangout that served as a gathering place for locals. After relocating to Mesa, Arizona in 1970, she worked at Paul Perry’s Steakhouse on Main Street, leaving there to become a technician at Motorola until her retirement. Never one to be idle, Agnes worked at Christ the King Catholic Church HOPE Outreach Ministry where she and fellow volunteers packed food boxes for distribution.

Agnes is preceded in death by her parents Henry and Josephine nee’ Dora Wentworth, her spouse Freeman Akers, and her two sons Joseph (Little Joe) and Freeman Akers, son-in-law Cliff Dougherty and son-in-law Monty McCall, her siblings Mabel (Raymond) McDonald, Howard (Ann) Wentworth, Earl (Sunday) Wentworth, Ed Wentworth, Robert Wentworth, Dorothy (Bob) Germain, Leonard (Bertadean) Wentworth, Sister Mary Josepha Wentworth, Andrew Wentworth and Thomas Wentworth, sister-in-law Carol Wentworth, brother-in-law Robert Williams, brother-in-law Bill White, Butch (Sue) Wentworth, grandsons Joseph Dougherty and Stephen Dougherty, and great-grandson Tyler Akers.

She is survived by her children Mary Ann Dougherty, Ken (Kathy) Akers, Diane (Pete) Madau, Sue (Jim) Hubbard, Joy (George) Boston, Ron (Brenda) Akers, Rick Akers, Twyla (Dom) Orlandi, Dave (Terry) Akers and Gary Akers, her brother Frank (Pat) Wentworth, Gene Wentworth, sister Fern White, sister-in-law Barb Wentworth along with 21 grandchildren, 33 great-grandchildren, eight great-great-grandchildren and numerous other relatives and friends.

Mom will be greatly missed and live forever in memory shuttling between Michigan and Arizona, baking big, wonderful cookies, helping us to get huge heaps of laundry done. She lives forever in memories of family reunions so big that it took Island Park, Michigan to hold all of us. While "actions speak louder than words" is a widely accepted adage, mom worked hard and “showed by doing,” passing on to us her great work ethic that inspires us to love the gifts of family, of hard work, of caring, sharing and giving, forever pushing us to be successful in all we do.

Remembrance services are open to anyone to attend and will be held as follows:

Christ the King Catholic Church, 1551 E Dana Ave Mesa AZ 85204

Rosary 10:00 AM

Funeral Mass 10:30 AM

Queen of Heaven Catholic Cemetery, 1562 E Baseline Rd Mesa, AZ 85204

Interment 1:00 PM