Ada Deloris Akerman

**Per family request, masks are required to attend***

Ada Deloris Akerman, 82, of Bella Vista, Arkansas and formerly of Chouteau, Oklahoma, went to her heavenly home on Wednesday, January 27, 2021. Deloris was born in Konawa, Oklahoma, on July 9, 1938, to Andy and Ethel Hamrick. Some of her favorite childhood memories were those of time spent in her parent’s grocery store, greasy hamburgers, a charge account for the drug store food counter and growing up with loving family and friends. She was an honor student, band member and a baton twirler at Konawa High School. She met her future husband, Bob Akerman while he was visiting his cousin at Konawa High School. Bob always said it was love at first sight for him, and then hesitates before saying "it took her a little while longer". Nevertheless, they married in Ada, Oklahoma on September 4, 1954 just four months after meeting and were married for more than 66 happy and blessed years. Deloris was a faithful, truly loving wife and a devoted, loving mother to her five children. She was known to be able to do most anything and what she didn’t know, she was able and eager to learn. She had a huge, giving heart and was gifted with an outgoing personality and many friends. Deloris often said she didn’t care what she was doing as long as she was spending time with her family, even after spending summer vacations traveling the nation in a Rambler station wagon with five children. She also carefully budgeted with great organization numerous camping, float trips, and family visits. She and Bob traveled to all 50 states, Canada, Mexico and Jamaica where they created lifelong memories. She was an excellent seamstress, enjoyed fishing, reading, playing dominoes, and playing bunco with friends. When her youngest child was in high school, she decided to get back into the job market and worked for a tax office, for an optometrist, and her favorite job working for the Farm Service Agency-USDA from which she retired. She was a member of St. Mark Catholic Church in Pryor for 48 years and enjoyed her church friends and bible study. Her faith and love for Jesus Christ was strong, and she relied upon biblical principles to guide her life.

Memorial services will be held at 2:00 p.m., Friday, February 12, 2021 in the Shipman's Funeral Home Chapel. To leave her family a message, please visit her Tribute Wall at www.shipmansfuneralhome.com. Cremation arrangements are under the direction of Shipman’s Funeral & Cremation Service.

Deloris is survived by her husband, Bobby Lee Akerman, Sr., children Deborah Bailey and husband Daryl of Tahlequah, Rhonda Kirk of Bella Vista, Bobby Lee Akerman, Jr., and wife Roseann of Chouteau, Darin Lee Akerman and wife Loyce of Bella Vista, and Margie Evans and husband Randy of Lowell, and 14 grandchildren, 27 great-grandchildren, 4 great-great grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews, cousins, and many friends. She was preceded in death by her parents, a sister Alta Mae McGuire, brother-in-law Clearn McGuire, an infant sister, a son-in-law Lanny Kirk and granddaughter Trinity Bailey.