Wallace E. Akin, 89, died Tuesday, August 14, 2012. He had been ill for several years from the effects of spinal stenosis.
Wallace was born May 18, 1923 in Murphysboro, Illinois, to Sarah and Samuel Akin. He had one brother, Granvil Akin, who also died at the age of 89.
He graduated from Murphysboro Township High School with the Class of 1941.
During WWII, Wallace joined the Navy, was sent to officer's training schools and spent most of those war years in the South Pacific as commanding officer of a mine sweeper. Afterward, he returned home to complete his education at Southern Illinois University, earned a Master's degree from the University of Indiana, and a Ph.D. in geography from Northwestern University.
He was a teacher at Drake University for most of his adult life. During a sabbatical year, he received a Fulbright scholarship to study in Denmark. He enjoyed reading and writing books, articles and letters. Reading newspapers was an enjoyable part of his life. In midlife he learned how to pilot an airplane.
He will be missed by his wife of 64 years, Peggy; his son, David and daughter-in-law,
Terre Fischer of Ann Arbor, Michigan; his daughter, Dianna and son-in-law, Dennis Downing of Monterey, Massachusetts; and his grandsons, Matthew and Benjamin Downing of Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
The family thanks the Home Care staff and the home hospice nurses at Wesley Life and the staff at Kavanagh House who cared for Wallace during his final days.
Published in Des Moines Register on Sept. 18, 2012
Wallace was born May 18, 1923 in Murphysboro, Illinois, to Sarah and Samuel Akin. He had one brother, Granvil Akin, who also died at the age of 89.
He graduated from Murphysboro Township High School with the Class of 1941.
During WWII, Wallace joined the Navy, was sent to officer's training schools and spent most of those war years in the South Pacific as commanding officer of a mine sweeper. Afterward, he returned home to complete his education at Southern Illinois University, earned a Master's degree from the University of Indiana, and a Ph.D. in geography from Northwestern University.
He was a teacher at Drake University for most of his adult life. During a sabbatical year, he received a Fulbright scholarship to study in Denmark. He enjoyed reading and writing books, articles and letters. Reading newspapers was an enjoyable part of his life. In midlife he learned how to pilot an airplane.
He will be missed by his wife of 64 years, Peggy; his son, David and daughter-in-law,
Terre Fischer of Ann Arbor, Michigan; his daughter, Dianna and son-in-law, Dennis Downing of Monterey, Massachusetts; and his grandsons, Matthew and Benjamin Downing of Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
The family thanks the Home Care staff and the home hospice nurses at Wesley Life and the staff at Kavanagh House who cared for Wallace during his final days.
Published in Des Moines Register on Sept. 18, 2012
Wallace E. Akin, 89, died Tuesday, August 14, 2012. He had been ill for several years from the effects of spinal stenosis.
Wallace was born May 18, 1923 in Murphysboro, Illinois, to Sarah and Samuel Akin. He had one brother, Granvil Akin, who also died at the age of 89.
He graduated from Murphysboro Township High School with the Class of 1941.
During WWII, Wallace joined the Navy, was sent to officer's training schools and spent most of those war years in the South Pacific as commanding officer of a mine sweeper. Afterward, he returned home to complete his education at Southern Illinois University, earned a Master's degree from the University of Indiana, and a Ph.D. in geography from Northwestern University.
He was a teacher at Drake University for most of his adult life. During a sabbatical year, he received a Fulbright scholarship to study in Denmark. He enjoyed reading and writing books, articles and letters. Reading newspapers was an enjoyable part of his life. In midlife he learned how to pilot an airplane.
He will be missed by his wife of 64 years, Peggy; his son, David and daughter-in-law,
Terre Fischer of Ann Arbor, Michigan; his daughter, Dianna and son-in-law, Dennis Downing of Monterey, Massachusetts; and his grandsons, Matthew and Benjamin Downing of Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
The family thanks the Home Care staff and the home hospice nurses at Wesley Life and the staff at Kavanagh House who cared for Wallace during his final days.
Published in Des Moines Register on Sept. 18, 2012
Wallace was born May 18, 1923 in Murphysboro, Illinois, to Sarah and Samuel Akin. He had one brother, Granvil Akin, who also died at the age of 89.
He graduated from Murphysboro Township High School with the Class of 1941.
During WWII, Wallace joined the Navy, was sent to officer's training schools and spent most of those war years in the South Pacific as commanding officer of a mine sweeper. Afterward, he returned home to complete his education at Southern Illinois University, earned a Master's degree from the University of Indiana, and a Ph.D. in geography from Northwestern University.
He was a teacher at Drake University for most of his adult life. During a sabbatical year, he received a Fulbright scholarship to study in Denmark. He enjoyed reading and writing books, articles and letters. Reading newspapers was an enjoyable part of his life. In midlife he learned how to pilot an airplane.
He will be missed by his wife of 64 years, Peggy; his son, David and daughter-in-law,
Terre Fischer of Ann Arbor, Michigan; his daughter, Dianna and son-in-law, Dennis Downing of Monterey, Massachusetts; and his grandsons, Matthew and Benjamin Downing of Great Barrington, Massachusetts.
The family thanks the Home Care staff and the home hospice nurses at Wesley Life and the staff at Kavanagh House who cared for Wallace during his final days.
Published in Des Moines Register on Sept. 18, 2012
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