Eugene C. Akers, Jr.

Eugene C. Akers Jr. passed away peacefully at Sioux Center Health in Sioux Center, Iowa on May 20, 2025. He was born July 26, 1938 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts to Eugene & Evelyn (Searles) Akers. Gene graduated Fitchburg High School in 1958 and started his adult life in New York City. He met the love of his life, Patricia Mulligan, in an evening banking class. They wed on September 16, 1961 and were married for 58 years before Pat predeceased him in February 2020.

Gene worked on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange for Morgan Guarantee and Trust. Three months after the wedding Gene was drafted into the US Army and was stationed at Newport News. Gene and Pat made lifelong friends during those two years. He returned to his job in Manhattan and lived in Queens for a few years.

In October 1967 Gene began a new career in Massachusetts working for Worcester County National Bank in plant engineering, maintaining the 35 branches of the bank. He loved visiting each of the branches throughout the county, fixing, constructing and making lots of friends along the way. His job also included transporting the bank’s stagecoach to participate in various parades, and he brought along his children to the community celebrations. Gene continued working for Shawmut when WCNB was bought up. He helped put in the first and many of the early ATM machines. When Fleet bought Shawmut, he worked until his department on High Street behind the tower in Worcester was dissolved in the late 90’s.

Gene then worked for Cole Contracting, one of the subcontractors from the bank.. He retired in 2015. He missed working with his co-workers. When sitting in a room at WPI with his daughter and granddaughter, he would identify the parts of the room he constructed.

Gene had a deep love for the outdoors and a passion for building and creating. He shared this love with his children, spending time camping and traveling with them. White Lake became a cherished family destination, echoing the fond memories from his own childhood spent on Stinson Lake. Later in life he and Pat enjoyed many weekends together in Maine and New Hampshire, relaxing and trying different types of watercraft.

In 2020 he relocated to Iowa to live with his daughter, Lori. His dream of a trip to Alaska came true twice, including a day of deep water fishing. As they drove around Iowa he was also fascinated by the planting and harvesting process and the size of the farm equipment.

Gene is survived by his daughters, Lynn Grainger and Lori Brandt. He was predeceased by his son, Eugene Raymond Akers, in June 2024. He loved spending time with his 5 grandchildren, Evelyn, Sarah, Joshua, Benjamin, and Abigail and his great grandchildren, Regan and Cora.

A military service will be held at a later date at Massachusetts Veterans Memorial Cemetery at Winchendon and a celebration of his life will follow.

Blessed be the memory of Eugene Charles Akers, Jr.