Sandra M. Akerson

Sandra M. Akerson, 80, Rosholt, passed away Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at Sanford Medical Center in Fargo.

Funeral Services will be Friday, January 20, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Joseph Lutheran Church in rural Rosholt with Rev. Sheila Pohl officiating. Music will be provided by organist Lana Sand and vocalists Lana and Paul Sand and Gary and Pam Anderson.

The Funeral Service will be livestreamed on the Eggers Funeral Home Facebook page.

Burial will be in the St. Joseph Lutheran Cemetery, rural Rosholt.  Honorary urn bearers will be her grandchildren, Shelley Nygaard-Schoen and Draven Richards.

Visitation will be Friday, January 20, one hour prior to the service at the church.

Sandra Mae was born October 23, 1942, to William and Dorothy (Marks) Moersch in Sharon, CT.  She grew up just outside of a small town called Norfolk, CT, and enjoyed living with her sister, brother and family, and grandparents.  She picked berries with her grandma in the mountains and fished with her family at Tobey Pond.  She attended school in Winsted, CT, graduating from high school in 1961.

That same year, Sandy met Dan Akerson, who was in Norfolk on a visit with a friend of Sandy's family. He was also stationed at Fort Dix, NJ.  After a lot of letters and Sandy visiting South Dakota to take care of Dan's sister's kids for the summer, Dan and Sandy were married on December 12, 1964. After their marriage, they moved to Rosholt where they shared 58 years of life together.  They were blessed with two children, Shawn and Heather.

Sandy enjoyed working at the Rosholt Nursing Home taking care of the residents. She also liked to treat the staff and often brought along a pan of bars for the workers to eat during their breaks.

In 1973, Sandy was diagnosed with Crohn's disease.  She endured many surgeries and hospital stays but was able to be active in the Harmonette's Ladies Club and a bowling league.  She was a Sunday school teacher and superintendent for awhile and enjoyed going to the kids' games in school.

Sandy loved all animals, especially her mama cat, who was a constant companion inside and outside. She kept a spotless house.  Everything had to be dusted and in its place, and beds had to be made just so.

Sandy had many plants and enjoyed tending to her flower gardens.  She enjoyed cooking and baking and made cookies by the hundreds and many hotdishes in her half bushel hot dish roaster as the family called it.  She always liked to be dressed nice - bracelets and rings had to match her outfits - and nobody touched her hair when it was fixed, which the grandkids joked about.

Sandy grew up in the mountains of Connecticut, but enjoyed the open prairie of South Dakota, too.

Survivors include her husband, Dan of Rosholt; children, Shawn Akerson of Gilbert, AZ, and Heather Akerson of Wahpeton, ND; grandchildren, Shelley (Austin) Nygaard-Schoen and Draven Richards; sister, Carol (Pat) Stanton of Salisbury, CT; and brother, William (Sammy) Moersch of Vermont.

Sandy was preceded in death by her parents.