Robert Aker, 72, a lifelong resident of Parkville, MO passed away suddenly on August 5, 2022, from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). Robert was born January 4, 1950 in Kansas City, Missouri, the oldest of 3 children born to RB Aker and Mary Frances McManus Aker.Robert graduated from Park Hill Senior High School in 1968 and later from the University of Kansas, Lawrence KS, where he earned a BA in Journalism.
Robert worked along side his brother, Paul, for all of his career with his father, who owned Aker Masonry Contractors. Under his dad’s expertise, he became a skilled brick and rock mason and carried on the company after RB died in 1992.
His love of Parkville always was at the forefront of his mind. He was a serious collector of period memorabilia, including WW II, the Civil War, and a phonograph collection.
He loved photography and the outdoors and hiked in the general area extensively as well as in earlier years, bass fished at Riss Lake.
Robert also carried on his father’s tradition of the study and love of Ancient Native American Indian civilizations that were present in this part of the midwest. Robert as well as his sister and brother “hunted” arrowheads their entire lives. In addition, Robert extensively studied the ancient culture of the Hopewell Native American civilization in the Middle Woodland period, 100 BCE to 500 CE. He recently donated his collection as well as Paul’s collection of artifacts to be collectively added to the RB Aker artifact collection which is housed at the University of Kansas, Lawrence KS.
He was preceded in death by his parents, RB and Mary Frances Aker and survivors include his siblings, Barbara Aker and Paul Aker.
Family and friends will gather to visit and celebrate Bob’s life from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Wednesday, August 17, 2022 at the Meyers Northland Chapel in Parkville. No formal service will be held. Urn placement will follow at the Walnut Grove Cemetery in Parkville. Memorial Contributions are suggested to Friends of Parkville Animal Shelter.
Bob was a good person, good friend and a gentle soul. He will be sadly missed by those who knew him.
Robert was a good friend and very very nice guy. He and Paul have done some beautiful stone work for me for many years. I will miss the chats we always had.
Rest in Piece Robert.
Rest in Peace Bob. You were a great gentleman at Park Hill and will be missed by all. What a wonderful donation of your collection to the University of Kansas.
I was a fellow graduate of Park Hill class of ‘68 with Bob. I recall that Bob was always friendly and pleasant to be around. It saddens me to hear of his passing. May he Rest In Peace.
Bob, You will be missed. A good friend, good athlete and fun guy. We had some great times in school. Heaven’’s gain is this world’s loss. Rest In Peace, my friend.
I met Bob & Paul through working in the masonry construction field. I was a brick & stone salesman. Bob, Paul & I both had fathers that were masonry contractors. We became good friends over the years. I was happy that I was able to visit with him a few days before his passing. We had a very good visit. Rest In Peace Bob.
We had Bob do lots of stone work at our house on Weatherby Lake. We could always trust him to fix anything, big or small, and make it look great.
He was such a nice person, and will be missed.
Bob was like a brother to me. We worked together for his Dad RB during summer breaks in high school. After my military stint we remained friends and lived together briefly. I moved to New Mexico with my family and he visited me a couple of times and we visited many National Parks that were American Indian themed. For years he talked about how much fun and educational that was. I am sure his inquisitive nature will carry on as he moves on in this cycle of life.
We lived next door to the Akers so we knew them all, spent winters sledding down the road, ice skating on Thruman’s pond, it was a great place to grow up there were a lot of kids on our street about the same age. My brother John Rennick & Robert were great friends, Robert was a nice man that took the time to talk to you, he will be missed.
My condolences to the Aker family. RB built a spectacular stone wall for me at Weatherby Lake many years ago, and Robert would help his dad. It was an extended project, but they stuck with it and everyone was proud of the final results. Robert and his dad were a fun team to watch and we all had fun as it came together. I could tell this was a kind and loving family.