Florence, SC – Earl William Ackerman, Jr., 88, passed away peacefully on Sunday, Nov. 27, 2022.

A Memorial Service will be Wednesday, Dec. 7, 2022 at 2:00 pm. at Layton-Anderson Funeral Home.  The family will have a time of visitation beginning at 1:00 p.m. before the service at the Funeral Home.

Mr. Ackerman was born in Louisville, Kentucky, the son of the late Earl William and Delia Burke Ackerman.

He served his country in the US Navy on the Navy Destroyer USS Conway, DDE 507, in the North Atlantic as a 2nd Class Signal Man.  He served in the Coast Guard Reserve Auxiliary.  He was a member of the Boy Scouts and the Sea Scouts.  One of his passions was boating on the Ohio River in the family's houseboat the "Ruth C. Ackerman."   Earl enjoyed spending time working on steamboats and participating in various events such as the Derby Steamboat Race, and launching new ships from Jeffboat, "The Spirit of '76 Celebration" on the Ohio River.  He traveled to every Civil War Battlefield with his wife, Ruth. He visited historical sites along the Mississippi River. Other interests were visiting New Orleans, Hilton Head, and family throughout Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee and Illinois.  Earl was a member of St. Anthony Catholic Church in Florence.

He was married to the late Ruth Coffey Ackerman.

Surviving are a son, Rick (Billie Jean) Dillman; daughter, Kay (Charles) Bassett; three grandchildren, Christy (Thomas) Wigger, Kendra (Jeremy) Collins, Susan Broach; great-grandchildren, Dylan, Hannah and  Caroline Ruth Collins, Chase Broach, Katie Rae, Reese Elin, Mary Grace and Linde Joy Wigger; niece and nephews, Debbie Gaddis, great niece and nephew, Claire and Alex Gaddis; nephew,  Eddie Zocklein, great-nieces Kaitlyn and Whitney Zocklein, nephew, Steve Zocklein (Michael) Maywood.  He is preceded in death by a daughter, Lianne Ackerman Swan, and a sister, Evelyn Ackerman Zocklein.

Memorials may be made to the McLeod Foundation, PO Box 100551, C/O McLeod Hospice, Florence, SC  29501.

You are invited to sign the guestbook at www.laytonandersonfh.com