Daniel R Aker

Daniel Robert Aker died from a heart attack at Salina Regional Hospital on November 20, 2024. He was at peace and surrounded by his loving family.
Dan was born June 19, 1952, in Salina, the only child of Robert Paul Aker and Patricia (Murray) Aker. Dan, a lifelong farmer, was born during the middle of the 1952 wheat harvest, and the night he was born, the Abilene grain elevator's leg caught on fire.
Dan learned quite young to work very, very hard as he took over the family farm at the age of 13 when his dad went blind. Dan farmed for the next 60 years. His favorite tractor was his 1982 John Deere 4440, which he bought brand new from Shouse Implement in Abilene.
Dan raised hogs, fed cattle, and raised crops. The men he dealt with in business were his father's age or older and Dan was a man before his time. He was a tireless worker and honest.
Dan went to St. Andrews School in Abilene and graduated from the 8th grade there. His mother made him go to the new St. Andrews School because her dad, Joseph Murray was an Abilene Architect, and he drew the plans for the school. While at St. Andrews, Dan's dad began to lose his sight. To feed the hogs at home, Dan would load milo on the truck and drive it to the Abilene Coop. After leaving the truck at the Coop he would walk to St. Andrews, attend school, walk to the Coop after school, drive the truck home, and scoop the ground feed to the hogs. Although at the time, Dan did not have a Drivers License, this was overlooked by the County Sheriff who knew Dan's dad. Dan was only 11 when he started driving the truck to the Coop for feed, it was a 1946 International, and he could barely reach the pedals.
Dan graduated from Abilene High School with the class of 1970. He was the Abilene FFA President while in school. In June 1970 Dan bought his first farm. Also in June 1970, 18-year-old Dan Aker received his Draft notice for the Vietnam War. Dan's draft number was 44. He received a hardship deferment because he was the only child to a blind father whose sole labor kept the farm going.
In 1971 he built a farrowing house and nursery for his farrow to finish hog operation. Before the farrowing house was finished, he had sows in it pigging. For over thirty years Dan ran the hog houses from farrow to finish. Throughout the coming years, Dan would buy more land and build the farming operation. Dan baled thousands of bales of hay, raised thousands of hogs, fed thousands of cattle and binned and hauled thousands of bushels of grain to local elevators.
On November 22, 1985, Dan married Jean Ann Feigley. They were two days shy of celebrating 39 years of marriage when Dan passed away. Jean Ann survives of the home.
Three children were born to this marriage: Benjamin Daniel Aker, Marie Elizabeth Haycook, and Joseph Robert Aker, all of Abilene. Dan has one grandchild, Brayden Daniel Haycook, Abilene. Dan is also survived by several cousins.
Grandpa (Dan) and Brayden would sit at the kitchen table and talk about the farm.
Dan was proceeded in death by both parents.
Dan was a 51-year member of the Abilene Elks Club, served 35 years as Saline County Rural Fire District Number 1, including several years as Garfield station's Chief, and many years as the Abilene Coop Board President. He annually supports Dickinson County 4-H.
Dan could fix anything, doctor livestock, and never complained about long days. He was honest and loyal, with strong values, and he never quit. He raised his children to be the same.
Rosary will be held at St. Andrews Church, Abilene on Tuesday, November 26 at 5:30 p.m. Funeral Mass will be held at 10 am Wednesday, November 27 at St. Andrews Church in Abilene with Father Peter O'Donnell. Burial will follow at Mt. St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, Abilene. Memorials to St. Andrews School or St. Andrews Church. Memorials may be dropped off or mailed to Martin-Becker-Carlson Funeral Home, 414 NW Third ST., Abilene, Kansas 67410. Online condolences may be sent to www.martinbeckercarlson.com