Murray Akers

Jesse Murray Akers, 76, of Greenville, MS, died peacefully May 17, 2015.He was born in Bessemer, Alabama, to the late Jesse Curtis Akers and Mary Elaine Walker Akers. Murray graduated in 1957 from Tupelo High School. He received his Bachelor of Public Administration degree in 1964 from the University of MS and his Juris Doctor degree from the University of MS School of Law in 1967. While attending law school, he served as Comment Editor for the Mississippi Law Journal, was a member of Omicron Delta Kappa, and a past President of Phi Delta Phi. Murray was admitted to practice before the Mississippi Supreme Court, the United States District Court, the United States Court of Appeals Fifth Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court.He was a long-time member of the Mississippi State Bar, the American Association for Justice, a Fellow with the Mississippi Bar Foundation, and a past President for both the Washington County Bar and the Mississippi Association for Justice. Murray has served as the Special Assistant Attorney General, Law Clerk for the Mississippi Supreme Court, Assistant United States Attorney for the MS Northern District, Assistant District Attorney for the 4th Circuit Court District, and has had his private practice in Greenville since 1970. He was a pilot in the Army National Guard and retired from service as a Captain.He loved Greenville and its people, and was a strong advocate for those who sought his help. He was a long-time member and a past President of both the Greenville Park Commission and the Greenville Kiwanis Club. He also served as a past Commodore for the Greenville Yacht Club, and was currently Chairman of the Crime Stoppers of Washington County, Inc. Murray loved God and his church, First Baptist of Greenville. There he served on the Finance Committee and was recently elected to serve as a Deacon, a position he treasured more than any other honor he had received.In addition to his parents, Murray was preceded in death by one sister, Martha Elaine Akers, and one brother, James Milton Akers. He is survived by his wife of 53 years, Patricia Evans Akers; his children, James Michael Akers (Alyson) of Texarkana, Texas, Teri Akers Ramsey of Greenville, MS, and Jennifer Akers Mitchell of Crofton, Maryland; one brother, Michael Dean Akers (Libba) of Tupelo, MS; grandchildren John Marshall Akers, Jared Christopher Akers, and Jessica Ryan Ramsey; and many nieces and nephews.Visitation will be 9:45 a.m. Thursday, May 21, at First Baptist Church, Greenville, MS, with the funeral immediately following at 11:000 a.m. A private graveside service will be held 4 p.m. Thursday, May 21, 2015 at Union Cemetery in Lee County, Mississippi. Pallbearers are Darrell Ballard, Michael Cardinell, Billy Gist, Trent Hutcheson, Joe Johnson, Larry Lowe, and Ed Norton. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to St. Jude, the American Cancer Society, or to the Building Fund at First Baptist Church in Greenville, MS.