- Date Of Birth: December 20, 1929
- Date Of Death: March 6, 2021
- State: Indiana
Dr. Marilyn S. Akers, 91, passed away March 6, 2021, at her home. She was born in Elwood, IN on Dec. 20, 1929, to parents, Marvin and Okal Swart. She graduated from Anderson High School in 1948 and received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Ball State University. She earned her doctorate in Educational Administration and Supervision from Ball State in 1980, where her dissertation focused on methods to assist families of struggling students.
This commitment to improving the lives of others was the cornerstone of Marilyn’s life. She was a proud, dedicated, lifelong supporter of public education, working in public schools for more than four decades, beginning as a teacher in Rochester, IN in 1952, and as a teacher and guidance counselor for 44 years with Anderson Community Schools from 1956-2002. She was an instructor, adjunct professor, and chair of the Business Education department at Indiana Wesleyan University and a chair with the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.
She was a member of multiple educational organizations, including Phi Delta Kappa, Delta Kappa Gamma, the American Association of University Women, the Association of Supervision and Curriculum Development, and the Association of Guidance and Counseling. She was a member of Central Christian Church in Anderson and was a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority at Ball State. For her work in education and her commitment to her community, she was presented with numerous awards, including the “Spotlight On Excellence” award from Anderson Community Schools in 1985, and she was selected for the “Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers” award in 1992.
She was honored as a “Legend Of Community Service” during the City of Anderson’s sesquicentennial celebration in 2015, and she was named a 1998 “Indiana Women of Achievement” award winner for her work as a leader in the community. Throughout her life, Marilyn was motivated by a powerful dedication to helping others. She was instrumental in the creation of multiple educational programs in Madison County for both children and adults, was a proud member of community organizations such as Soroptimist International, where she served as president of the local chapter, Women in Philanthropy and many others.
She was a key figure in assisting local endeavors to help at-risk populations, and was especially valued for her work with Alternatives Incorporated in Madison County, where she was instrumental in implementing programs like “Robbie’s Room,” a project she helped design to provide a safe place for preschool children in need. She also found ways to assist people in other parts of the country, such as the multiple textbook drives she organized to assist Lakota tribal schools in South Dakota, where she was invited to attend ceremonies normally limited to tribe members.
Led by her fierce, passionate belief that every person matters, she was an important organizer and advocate for many other local, state, national and global programs designed to empower girls and women and to help individuals and families and schools and communities live the best lives possible. She loved sewing and quilting and traveling, and her enthusiasm to experience the many cultures of the world took her all over the globe, to places like China, Argentina, Greece, Norway, England, France, Spain, Italy, and many other countries.
She was preceded in death by her husband Marc Ernest Lane, her husband Billy Warren Akers, her parents, Marvin and Okal Swart, her sister Leanna Su (Swart) McNatt, and her granddaughter Grace Akers. She is survived by her sister, Nedra Kay (Swart) Kinerk, her beloved cousin Joyce White (husband U.B. White), her children, Jana Akers Lovett (Max), Jeff Akers (Susan), Pam Akers Welker, Marc Akers (Karen), Susan Wells (David), Joe Akers (Jennifer), grandchildren Scott Akers, Chris Akers, Amy Akers, Brandon Lovett, Benjamin Lovett, Emily Gray, Leah Lakich, Nick Gilmore, Rachel Glunt, Marc Andrew Akers, Austin Akers, Carly Fleming, Sam Wells, and multiple great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews.
She is also remembered and missed by the thousands and thousands of friends and former students (the people she always referred to as “my kids”) whom she loved and who loved her. The family is grateful to Dr. Brian Eddy and Dr. Ben McCurdy for their excellent care during Marilyn’s illness.
