Doris Eileen Murray Akers Knight
“So you will go out with joy and be lead out in peace. The mountains and the hills will burst into song before you and all the trees in the field will clap their hands.” Isaiah 55:12
Mrs. Doris Eileen Murray Akers Knight, a precious and beautiful soul, passed peacefully from this world on January 10, 2024, at St. James Place Health & Wellness Center, Baton Rouge.
Doris Eileen Murray was born on August 27, 1935, in Aurora, Missouri, the only child to Wayne Raymond Murray and Mary Pauline Newcum Murray.
She grew up in Aurora, Missouri with the freedom of country life and the love of community.
Doris loved her local church, The First Christian Church of Aurora. She sought to shine Jesus in her community with a servant’s heart which permeated everything she touched her whole life.
She graduated Aurora High School, received her BA in Education from Drury University in Springfield, Missouri, achieved her master’s degree in counseling from Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, and pursued her specialist advanced degree in Psychology.
She married her love Dr. James “Jay” B Akers upon graduating Drury University. Embracing their joint dream, she supported her husband throughout the educational mission: Missouri, Arkansas and Louisiana, treasuring many students and friends along the way.
After the death of her husband Jay and being a widow for almost 20 years she met a spry brilliant man 92 years of age Dr. Herbert Twombly Knight, who quickly married her. Their “late love” was the inspiration for many and was celebrated in the local “223” Magazine.
A beloved friend, teacher, counselor, wife, mother, grandmother and great grandmother, she set a glorious example of grace under pressure.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Wayne Raymond Murray and Mary Pauline Newcum Murray; her first husband of 43 years, Dr. James “Jay” B. Akers; second husband of four years Bert Knight; and her grandson, James “Jay” Bert Akers.
She is survived by her loving children James “Jim” Bert Akers, Jr. ( Denise Dawn Nelson Akers) of Baton Rouge, Jeffery Wayne Akers of Columbia, Missouri and Julie Pauline Akers Taylor (Joshua Taylor) of Perth, Australia; her four grandchildren, Heather Aileen Akers Shugart ( Andrew Michael Shugart) of Gonzales, Christopher “Chris” Nelson Akers of Princeton, New Jersey, Margaret “Mara” Akers of Columbia, Missouri, and Jedidiah (“Jed”) James Taylor of Perth, Australia; and her two greatgrandchildren, Reagan Dawn Shugart and Zander James Shugart.
A celebration of life memorial service will be conducted later in the year. Memorials in the name of Doris Akers Knight may be made to St Jude Childrens Research Hospital, www. fundraising. stjude.org/goto/ doris- akers- knight; Samaritains Purse International Relief www. samaritanspurse. org/ operation- christmaschild/ ways- to- give; and Louisiana United Methodist Childrens’ Home www.lumcfs.org/ donate.
