Page 6 - Free State Spring 2023_WEB

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE

at our dining room table. She had my sisters and I organize
them and stuff them in envelopes to be picked up onsite.
Mom also organized many a work-party to collate, stuff,
seal, and stamp exhibitor and attendee letters. Fortunately
for her, she had my three sisters and me to help, whether
we were willing participants, or not. I believe she attended
every single MANTS through 2020, and if not at the forefront
of management was working behind the scenes to make
sure it functioned as smoothly as possible.

Some will remember my mother as a formidable woman.
And she was. We called that her “teacher-mode.” One
never really wanted to meet my mother in “teacher-mode”
outside of classroom hours. But she did soften over the
VANESSA A. FINNEY
Executive Director years, particularly when the grandchildren came along.
Mom-Mom, as she was known, was a softie with her
grandchildren and the children adored her. I don’t think
In a normal year, my spring Free State column would be all
about MANTS, the recent ending of the Maryland General there was anything she would not have done for them. She
Assembly, and upcoming MNLGA events. And those things especially loved to spend time shopping with the girls and
are important to cover, and they will be elsewhere in this swimming with the boys. She held annual Easter Egg Hunts
issue. But this year is not normal, at least not for me, due to for them and thought it was a riot to give them the loudest
the passing of my mother, Nancy Akehurst, on April 12th. I’m possible toys at Christmas.
opting to write about her, as she was pretty important, too. There’s really not enough room in one column to capture
the essence of Nancy Akehurst. What I do want you all
I think many of you knew my mother. You would often
find her right beside my father, Carville, at MANTS, MNA to know is that the MNLGA and MANTS would not be
(as it was known “back in the day”) events, or other green the organizations they are today without her having
industry events across the country. When Mom retired been a part of them. She played a significant role in the
from teaching in the late 1980s, she went to work full-time development of these organizations and took fierce pride in
with my father (well, full-time when she wasn’t shopping or what she did and represented.
watching grandchildren). I think Mom deserves the credit She also forged many, many friendships with industry
for helping to bring technology into my father’s world, members over the years and I know she truly valued
teaching herself how to use word processing and other them. They were true friendships, not just professional
software to benefit the organizations they managed. I recall relationships. (I, too, have learned this industry is a good
for years, Mom used to type every article of Free State, from place to build true friendships).
the handwritten submissions of its contributors, and then Mom cherished her work with the industry and truly
painstakingly lay out the whole magazine, page by page, felt fortunate to work alongside Carville. Together they
the old-fashioned way, by hand. She’d mockup dummies created a legacy. They both loved this industry and the
and move ads and copy around until she got just the right organizations they served.
fit and balance. Today’s Free State exists due to the efforts
and ingenuity of Nancy Akehurst. May you rest in peace, Mom. I am so happy you are, at last,
reunited with Dad. A
What many may not know is the extent to which my
mother was active with MANTS well prior to her teaching Vanessa A. Finney
retirement. I recall as a child, in the early seventies, my Executive Director, MNLGA
mother typing up MANTS exhibitor and attendee badges

6 SPRING 2023 • Free State News