Darlene K. Akers

She was born on January 14, 1947, the daughter of Lee Warren and Doris Ilene (Griffin) Cripps. Darlene lived a life centered on family. Darlene K. Akers, 79, of Harveyville, Kansas, passed away peacefully at her home on Sunday, August 23, 2026, from natural causes.

She was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and her family was her whole world. Darlene loved her family fiercely and devoted her life to caring for the people she loved.

On February 27, 1965, Darlene married the love of her life, Terry W. Akers. Together, they built a family filled with love, hard work, and countless memories. Although Terry passed away on January 19, 1990, the love they shared remained a treasured part of Darlene's life.

Darlene was also preceded in death by her parents, Lee and Doris Cripps; her parents-in-law, Eli and Nadine Akers and nephew Brian Cripps.

Her greatest pride were her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She leaves behind her children, Warren Akers (Cheryl), Teresa Akers (Jim), and Tami Sterling (Zach); her siblings, Ron Cripps (Barb), Donna Martin (Dan) and Tina Beckham (Steven); her grandchildren, Kelsey (Doug), Tanner (Echo), Logan, Kady (Zach), Ryan, and Raely; and her great-grandchildren, Haisley, Brecklyn, Kaiah, Jameson, Khloe, Ellison, Lindy and Miles.

Darlene was a homemaker for most of her life, dedicating herself to her family and home. She enjoyed feeding her family and was well known for preparing large meals at a moment's notice, often cooking generous lunches for construction crews. She enjoyed bringing people together around a dinner table that was filled with amazing food which was something she truly loved, and no one ever left her table hungry.

Music brought tremendous happiness to Darlene. She loved singing with her family and spent many evenings performing with Warren and the Country Music Makers. She loved to sing songs of the greats like Patsy, Loretta and Dolly. Singing, dancing, and spending time with friends created many of her happiest memories.

The family garden was a labor of love, and Darlene spent many hours preserving its harvest. Canning days were often filled with family, laughter, hard work, and shared stories and recipes.

When her children were young, Darlene could often be found working for the Harveyville Ball Association and coaching ball teams. She loved being involved in her children's lives and supporting their activities.

Though her family will miss her dearly, they find comfort knowing Darlene is finally at peace and once again with Terry. The love that she gave to her family will remain in their hearts forever.

A Memorial Graveside Service will be held at 10:30 A. M. Friday, September 4, 2026 at the Wilmington Cemetery (Harveyville, KS). Memorials may be made to Mercer Funeral Home to be designated at a later date c/o Mercer Funeral Home, P.O. Box 270, Holton, KS 66436.