Colleen N Aakhus

Colleen N. Aakhus, 98, Emporia, Kansas, passed away at the University of Kansas

Medical Center, Kansas City, Kansas, on Friday, July 10, 2026.

Colleen Skeie was born in Winger, Minnesota on June 7, 1928, the daughter of Willie

and Nina (Nelson) Skeie. She married Orval Truman Aakhus in Winger on September

18, 1949. He died December 17, 2020. She is survived by daughters; Diane Murdock,

Grand Forks, British Columbia, and Denise (Don) Wilson, Emporia, sons; John (Susan)

Aakhus, Anderson, South Carolina, and James “Jim” Aakhus, Emporia, Kansas. Also

six grandchildren Summer (Derek) Huston, Grand Forks, British Columbia, Shelley

(Rocky) Phillips, Anderson, South Carolina, James Aakhus, Asheville, North Carolina,

Mark (Amy) Aakhus, Edisto Beach, South Carolina, Adam (Leah) Reading, Kansas and Bryan (Amy) Wilson, 

Emporia and sixteen great-grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, brothers; 

Maynard and Arnold Skeie, and sister; LaVonne Borgmann.

She and Orval lived in North Dakota, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas as his work required, and

enjoyed retirement in Arizona. They were married 71 years, and attributed that long life

and marriage to their love of round and square dancing. She lived the past 25 years

between Tucson and Green Valley, Arizona and Emporia.

She enjoyed puzzle games on her iPad and board games with family and friends. She

was a real crafter and made hundreds of bows for young girls and beautifully decorated

Christmas stockings for all the Great-grandchildren.

Colleen was a member of Saint Mark’s Lutheran Church, and associate member of

Dessert Hills Lutheran Church in Green Valley, Arizona.

Cremation is planned. Memorial services will be held at the Saint Mark’s Lutheran

Church, Emporia, on July 27, at 11:00 am. Interment will be at a later date in Memorial

Lawn Cemetery, Emporia.

Memorial is with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in care of Roberts-Blue-Barnett

Funeral Home, PO Box #175, Emporia, Kansas 66801