Betty Jane (Payne) Akers, 91, of Springfield, MO passed away on January 7, 2023. Betty was born September 23, 1931 in Springfield, MO to Joseph and Thelma (McConnell) Payne. Betty graduated from Springfield Central High School. While attending Southwest Missouri College, she met her future husband, Don Akers. Soon after they married, Don was drafted during the Korean War and was stationed in the Washington, D.C. area. Betty found work at the Pentagon in the transportation department.

Betty enjoyed being a stay at home mom while the children were growing. After a time she went back to work and enjoyed her time at Springfield City Utilities until she retired in 1997. Betty was an artist and loved to paint. She took a number of painting classes, honing her skills at the Springfield Art Museum. Another of Betty's passions was Genealogy. The research of her family's heritage was very important to her. Betty traced her family back to the 1600's in New England, which led to memberships in the Daughters of the American Revolution, Greene County Historical Society and life long membership in the Ozark Genealogical Society.

Betty was preceded in death by her husband, Don; son, Scott; son-in-law, Lew Rauch; grandson, Kenneth; parents Joe and Thelma and her brother, Barry Payne.

She is survived by her daughter Carol Lynn (Akers) Rauch; son, Mark Randal Akers and his wife Paula; brother, Bill Payne; granddaughter Stephanie Rauch Hesser and her husband Tyler; great grandchildren Henry and Haley and many nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be on Saturday, January 21, 2023 from 10:00 – 11:00 AM, with Memorial Service to follow at 11:00 AM, at Gorman-Scharpf Funeral Home. Private Family Burial will be at a later date in Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a hospice facility in your area. The family would like to give a special thanks to Castlewood Staff and St. Croix Hospice.