Florence J. Aker, 94

Florence J. (Lindell) Aker, age 94, a former Tewksbury resident, died peacefully at her Wilmington home, Saturday afternoon, March 2, surrounded by her family, after a brief battle with cancer.  She had remained active, even driving her car and doing yard work, up to a few months ago.  She was predeceased by her husband, Robert A. Aker, who died in 1976.

Mrs. Aker was born in Detroit, Michigan, January 8, 1919, one of three children of the late Carl and Hilma (Nurminen) Lindell, who had emigrated from Finland.  She was raised in Clawson, Michigan, and graduated from Clawson High School.  She went on to attend Wayne State University, where she played softball and basketball.  Later, she was captain of a team in the Women's Industrial Basketball League in Detroit. She met her husband when he was stationed at an Airforce base in Michigan.  They married and settled in his home town of Arllington, MA in 1946, before moving to Tewksbury in 1955 to raise their family.  Due to ageing, she moved to her daughter and son-in-law’s home in Wilmington, nine years ago.

She retired from MA/COM in Burlington where she had worked as a production supervisor, and later took on a position of weekend administrator at the former Dana Retirement Home in Lexington, where she was honored by residents and staff upon her second ‘retirement’ at the age of eighty-two.

Florence was a devoted Detroit Tiger’s baseball fan until 1967, when she shifted her allegiance to the Boston Red Sox.  She watched every telecasted game, and was quite knowledgeable about the players and statistics.  She was also and avid fan of the New England Patriots.

She is survived by her son, Martin R. Aker of West Newfield, ME; and daughter, Kristine F. Williamson, and her husband Jeff, with whom she resided in Wilmington; two grandchildren, Robert and his wife Kylah Aker of Bridgton, ME, and Allison Aker of Auburn, ME; three great grandchildren, Matthew, Emma, and Caleb; her former daughter-in-law Linda (Arsenault) Aker of Brownfield, ME; several nieces and nephews, and was also predeceased by her siblings, Martin Lindell and Elsie Gardner.

Relatives and friends are invited to a Memorial Visitation on Friday, March 8, from 12:00 Noon until 1:30 in the Tewksbury Funeral Home, corner of 1 Dewey and 975 Main Sts. (Rte. 38) TEWKSBURY CENTER, phone (800 in MA or 978) 851 2950.  A Memorial Prayer Service will be held at 1:30 in the funeral home, followed by the committal prayers at the Tewksbury Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorials to the charity of donor’s choice