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Genevieve Beryl (Brakeall) Owston Akerberg

Obituaries | The Tube City Almanac | February 16, 2016

Genevieve Beryl (Brakeall) Owston Akerberg departed this life on Sunday, Feb. 14, 2016. She was born in Dravosburg on Aug. 23, 1918, as the youngest child of John Alva Brakeall and Rose P. Schad. Outside of her youth in Dravosburg and a short residence in East McKeesport, the majority of Genevieve’s life was spent in North Versailles Township. Since summer 2015, she has resided at Briarcliff Pavilion in North Huntingdon.

While she preferred her full first name of Genevieve, she was known affectionately by the monikers of Gen, Aunt Jenny and Grandma Genevieve. In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her first husband of 25 years, Charles Ellsworth Owston, in 1962; and her second husband of 24 1/2 years, Charles A. Akerberg, in 1991. Others who predeceased her were her brothers, Walt, Jim and Johnny Brakeall; sister, Louise Opperman; and stepchildren, Charles G. Akerberg and Sally Phillips. She is survived by her three sons, Charles E. Owston, of North Versailles, Dr. John A. Owston (Nancy), of Kingsport, Tenn., and Dr. James M. Owston (Pam), of Beckley, W.Va.; grandchildren, John Mark Owston, Lt. Cmdr. Christopher Owston, James Owston, Dr. Michael Owston, Timothy Owston, Mandy Nader, Stephanie Straker, Lora Owston and Kristen Owston; four great-grandchildren, Brianne Berkeblle, Luke Nader, Emma Genevieve Owston, and Luke Owston; stepdaughter, Edith Jean Adams; step-grandchildren, Jim Akerberg, Linda Christner, Dr. Fred Akerberg, Nancy Shay, Lisa Bodick, Ted Phillips, Daniel Phillips, Becky Stout, Gary Phillips and Kristy Arnold; nieces, Jane Boyce, Joan Rae, Nancy Patchel and Dianne Lampenfeld; nephew, Mike Brakeall; a very special neighbor, Lois Ondish; and a host of other relatives and friends too numerous to mention. During her youth, she attended the Dravosburg public schools and was a 1937 graduate of McKeesport Senior High School. While most of Genevieve’s life was spent as a homemaker, she worked for a period of time at the lunch counter at Islay’s in White Oak and as a clerk at the W.T. Grant Company in the Great Valley Shopping Center. Additionally, she was a founding member and officer in the Sunset Grade School PTA. She was an active member of the Bryn Mawr Church of Christ in White Oak where, on Oct. 31, 1954, she, her husband Charlie, and son Chuck were baptized into Christ. She was a member of Seeker’s Sunday School Class since 1947 and took over the duties of teaching the class when she as 80 years old. She additionally served as a teacher of the third grade girls’ class during the 1960s, was a secretary of the Missionary Society, a Deaconess, and a member of the Ladies Aid Society, church choir, and the Busy Hands Group. She and her husband Chuck Akerberg, an elder in the congregation, often visited the sick and shut-ins on Sunday afternoons. One of Genevieve’s greatest loves was shopping in thrift stores and visiting flea markets when she was able. She loved her treasures that she could procure at a bargain. Her second passion was reading. Every year she would read approximately 50 books. She kept a running total and was proud of the fact that she had a clear presence of mind at her advanced age. However, she considered her greatest accomplishment was the raising of three sons who entered the Christian ministry. This made her prouder than anything in this world. She often prayed that her son Chuck would enter the ministry and God answered this prayer in triplicate. Friends will be received from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at STRIFFLERS OF WHITE OAK CREMATION AND MORTUARY SERVICES, 1100 Lincoln Way, White Oak, PA 15131 (Sue Striffler Galaski, supervisor, 412-678-6177). Services will be held at 11 a.m. Wednesday in the funeral home chapel. She will be laid to rest next to her first husband in Grandview Cemetery, North Versailles.

Originally published February 16, 2016.

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