Water Street Glassworks mourning the loss of its first director

Water Street Glassworks is mourning the loss of Dorris Akers, the organization’s first executive director and a longtime leader in Southwest Michigan’s arts community. Akers previously served as the first director of the South Haven Maritime Museum before joining Water Street Glassworks, where she helped secure funding, establish the organization’s first board of directors, and guide its long-term growth. An artist herself, she created the exhibition The Glass Garden and Other Whimsies, and the organization’s gallery was later named in her honor. Water Street Glassworks says Akers’ creativity, leadership, and commitment to arts education and community engagement left a lasting legacy that continues to influence the organization today. Waterstreet Glassworks writes, “As we remember Dorris, we celebrate a life dedicated to the arts, education, and community.