Kern County CA Obituary Project Obituaries.....Akers, Jr., George Thomas (Tom) November 20 2004
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K T bluewolf@onemain.com November 30, 2004, 7:31 pm

The Bakersfield Californian 
Tom Akers, Jr.
May 1, 1919 - Nov. 20, 2004

Services: Fri., Dec. 3, 2:30 p.m. 

Services will be held Friday, December 3, 2004, 2:30 p.m. at First 
Congregational Church, Stockdale Hwy. and Real Rd.

George Thomas (Tom) Akers, Jr. was born on the family homestead in Carter 
County, Oklahoma. His parents were Tom Sr. and Sadie Akers. His formal 
education was in Oklahoman public schools. His high school senior class 
included only three students. After his college education was interrupted by 
Army service in WWII, he graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1946. 
Later he earned an advanced certificate from Stanfords Graduate School of 
Business. In the military he served four years in the South Pacific, where he 
saw action in the Philippines and New Guinea. As a U.S. Army officer he 
trained Filipino soldiers in guerrilla warfare and fought hand in hand with 
them against Japanese occupation forces. When he moved to Bakesfield after the 
war, he helped found and organize the local National Guard unit.

On May 25, 1941, Tom married fellow Oklahoman Susie Eakin. Tom and Susie moved 
to Bakersfield with their young son, Tommy in 1946. In Bakersfield Tom and 
Suzie would have three more children, Alyce, Peggy and John. Tom came to 
Bakersfield to work for Calcot. He worked with the cotton cooperative for 
thirty-five years. In his final years with Calcot he was Executive Vice 
President for sales. When diplomatic relations were opened with the Peoples 
Republic of China, Tom was the first American cotton representative to visit 
and travel around China. He opened cotton trade with that country. Susie and 
Tom were married for over twenty-five years and remained good friends and fond 
parents and grandparents.

Tom married Eleanor Hoskins in 1971. They dedicated themselves to community 
service. In 1952 Tom had become a charter member of the Bakersfield East 
Rotary Club, where he served as President (1961-1962) and was a recipient of 
the Paul Harris Fellowship and the Outstanding Rotarian Award (1974-1975). 
Being a Rotarian was an important part of his life right to the end.

A lifelong Democrat, Tom served along with his wife, Eleanor, several terms as 
a member of the Democratic Central Committee. He and Eleanor, who died in 
1987, both received the coveted Dorothy Donahoe Award for their dedication to 
the party and community. Among many civic commitments, Tom served on the 
boards of the Bakersfield Red Cross and the Alliance Against Family Violence. 
He was appointed to the board of the Kern County Fair, serving from 1980 to 
1986, and was Board President in 1984-1985. An avid Roadrunner supporter of 
CSUB Bakersfield, he served on the CSUB Advisory Board and the 60+ club, 
volunteering several forms of service, including tending to the gardens and 
ushering at campus events. He was a founding donor to CSUBs Walter Stiern 
Library.

Toms service extended to the global community. After retiring from Calcot, he 
was a volunteer with Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance (VOCA) 
serving the countries and farmers of Mexico (for three years), Paraguay, 
Honduras, Zimbabwe, and Ethiopia. Always available to be called upon for help, 
Tom was known as a great supporter of public education at all levels. He loved 
travel and saw more parts of the world than msot professional diplomats.

Tom also was an avid golfer and was grateful to and fond of his Stockdale 
golfing buddies. He was a strong and vital man. He was still jogging daily and 
golfing regularly in his eighty-sixth year. As well as staying interested in 
the world and his beloved community of Bakersfield, he remained kind and 
jovial even in his final days.

Tom died of complications from a recent stroke. He is survived by his sister, 
Rebecca Bostwick of Ardmore, Oklahoma; his four children and his friend, Anne 
Hutton. Tom and Susie had thirteen grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. 
One of their granddaughters, Casey Turner, preceded them in death. Tom was 
immensely proud of his children and their children.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the American Red Cross, 
whose good works Tom saw everywhere in his travels, to the Plank Foundation of 
Bakersfield, and to the CSUB Walter Steirn Library. 


Additional Comments:
Volunteer submission - No relation to deceased.

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