Rebecca Aksamit

Aksamit, Rebecca “Becky” Eileen, age 89, passed away peacefully in Ruidoso, New Mexico in the company of her children, son-in-law and caregiver, on Friday, April 26, 2013, to return to the family farm where she grew up and the company of her soul mate, Frank Aksamit. Rebecca was born on September 29, 1923 in a farm house in the Township of Lincoln, Washington County, Kansas to Elmer and Mary Burnett Nelson (nee Houston, great grandniece of Sam Houston) who, in addition to Rebecca had three other children, Lawrence R. Nelson, Norma Jean Honeycutt and Donna Maxine Boettcher, all of whom preceded her in death. Beckys early days as a child were spent on the family farm in Marshall County, Kansas and, in her later years, these were some of her fondest memories. Becky graduated from Waterville High School, Waterville, KS, in 1941 and, after graduating, attended electronics tech school in Topeka, Kansas for a year. She then moved to Kansas City, Missouri and married Francis “Frank” Robert Aksamit on November 12, 1942. Frank and Becky were married almost 70 years until his death. During World War II, and while Frank was stationed in the South Pacific with the Army Signal Corps, Becky held various jobs assisting with the wartime effort for which she received various civilian wartime commendations and was immensely proud. These jobs included, finishing and testing crystals in a walkie-talkie factory, Morse code instructor, Morse code transmitter and transcriber, and cargo/shipping clerk. During the war, she and Frank wrote almost daily to one another and, unfortunately for her children and relatives, these letters were thrown out during one of her cleaning frenzies. After the war, Frank and Becky initially lived in Kansas City but then moved to Wichita, Kansas in 1949, where they resided until Franks death in 2012. During their 60 plus years there, they had three children, Mary Ann Sinayi, Roger D. Aksamit and Jon Alan Aksamit, established several successful businesses and participated in countless community, civic, school and church organizations, including some of Beckys favorites, which were Eastern Star-Rose Douglas chapter, the Hypatia Club, the Horseless Carriage Club, and the Oil Belt Classic Car Club. At the time of her death, Becky was a member of Plymouth Congregational Church of Wichita, KS. Becky had many interests and loves, including in her heyday, reading five or more books a week, solving the daily crossword puzzles, running a mail-order old car literature business for almost 30 years, traveling (preferably road trips with Frank driving), attending swap meets with Frank, scouting estate and antique sales, baking, sewing, shopping, playing cards and being a constant and gracious host with Frank at their home for both family and their many old car, social and business friends. Becky is preceded in death by her husband, Frank, and her son, Jon. Becky is survived by her daughter, Mary Ann Sinayi; son, Roger D. Aksamit; son-in-law, Edward Sinayi; two grandchildren, Rebecca and Elizabeth Aksamit; her step-granddaughter, Michele Sinayi Hensley; as well as her nieces and nephews, Rebecca Fast, Robert Mullins, Richard Mullins, Marcia McElligott Sloan, Janet Rank and Diana Smith. She was very proud of the fact that her oldest niece and one granddaughter were named after her, each of which exhibit many of her most admirable traits, particularly her determination, intelligence and pragmatism. After Franks death in 2012, Becky resided with her daughter and son-in-law, Mary and Ed, in Ruidoso, NM and it was an immense comfort for her to reside with family until her death. The world was a better place because of her and she will be missed by all that knew her. Funeral Service will be at 10:00 A.M., Saturday, May 4, 2013, at Downing Lahey Mortuary East. Interment will follow at White Chapel Memorial Gardens. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established with Plymouth Congregational Church, 202 N. Clifton Ave., Wichita, KS 67208.