Lois Verlee (Akers) Whelan, the daughter of Otto Ray and Eunice Veda (Piper) Akers, was born at home on March 7, 1924, in rural Gravity, Iowa. She attended Spread Eagle country school and successfully completed the 8th grade.
As a young lady, she worked in various family homes helping with household tasks until she moved to Shenandoah, Iowa. She was then employed at Henry Fields Nursery in the filing department and the printing department. She also worked as a seamstress and inspector at the glove factory in Shenandoah.
On February 19, 1946, she met Timothy A. Whelan, a farmer from Watson, Missouri. They were married on February 5, 1947, at St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Tarkio, Missouri, with Father Yehle officiating. To this union, three children were born; Anna J., Timothy Ray, and Theresa M. Tim passed away September 24, 1982. Lois passed away surrounded by her family on Tuesday, October 2, 2018, at the George C. Grape Community Hospital, Hamburg, Iowa, at the age of 94.
A mass of Christian burial was held at 10 a.m. at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Tarkio, with Father Peter Ullrich, O.S.B. officiating. Interment followed in High Creek Cemetery, Watson.
Lois loved to read and enjoyed working word search puzzles. She embroidered beautiful pillowcases and attended the Watson Quilters group until her eyesight began to fail. In the past, Lois enjoyed gardening, tending to her roses, and mowing until health problems arose. However, she was always interested and actively involved in the farming operation and condition of the crops until her death. Her family was most important to her, showing interest in their jobs and in the younger ones school work and activities. Lois was a very hard working lady who put love into everything she did, including the made from scratch angel food cakes for family birthday parties.
In addition to her parents and husband, Lois was preceded in death by brother, Darrell (Atha) Akers, sisters, Dorothy (Edward) Crowe, and Lavelle (Gerald) Werner, brother-in-law, Fred Fine, and two sons-in-law, Dean Harris and Kyland Wakefield. Survivors include son, Timothy Ray Whelan and wife, Donna, Watson; daughters, Theresa M. Harris, Hamburg, and Anna J. Wakefield, Watson; four grandchildren, Tony (Carrie) Harris, Brian Harris, Matt Whelan and Lori (Nick) (Whelan) Kean; four great-grandchildren, Christian Harris, Mark Harris, Hermione Harris, and Allie Kean; sister, Youvaun Fine, Maryville, Missouri; many nieces and nephews; and numerous friends and other relatives.
Memorials may be directed to St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church, Tarkio, George C. Grape Community Hospital, Hamburg, or High Creek Cemetery, Watson. Online condolences may be left at www.minterfuneralchapels.com ~ Services are under the direction of Minter Funeral Chapels, Rock Port.
