Van James Akins, Jr. of Concord entered into his heavenly home on Monday, March 17, 2014, following two years of declining health.
A Celebration of James's life will be held at Hartsell Funeral Home in Midland, 13575 Broadway Avenue on Thursday, March 20, 2014 at 11 am, with Rev. Gene Frady, Sr. officiating. The family will receive friends at 10 am, for 1 hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Howell's Baptist Church Cemetery 3800 Baptist Lane, Concord.
James was born on February 18, 1922 in Dundarrach, four miles south of Raeford, NC, to the late Van James Akins, Sr. and Alice McCracken Akins. He was also preceded in death by three brothers, Carl Akins (Elsie), Harvey Akins and Dwight Akins; four sisters, Viola Kelley (John), Mary McCord (Clyde), Rebecca Barker (Stanley), Bennie Daniel (Bob); son-in-law, Eddie Miller; and brother-in-law Jim Strauss.
James was a WWII veteran, having served his country in the US Navy as an Aviation Metal Smith. He was highly self-educated having to leave school in the 8th grade to help raise his brothers and sisters after his father died in 1934. He liked to travel, to read and learn new things. Always the innovator, he cut the right-of-way for his Charlotte telephone line to his home in Cabarrus County because of his work. James loved to fish and kept his lake stocked with bass and bream. he loved his God, his family and his church. He was a faithful member of Howell's Baptist Church. He taught Sunday School for many years and was a deacon and held various other church offices. He was an avid woodworker, mechanic and all around jack-of-all trades. James retired from Johnson Motor Lines in 1980 as a long-line truck driver and was a member of the Teamsters Union Local 71 in Charlotte, NC.
He is survived by his loving wife of 73 years, Esther Moore Akins of the home; two daughters, Barbara Miller and Gaye Frady (Gene) all of Concord; three grandchildren, Master Sergeant Larry Frady, II of Yokota Air Force Base in Japan, Kimberly Van Der Meid (Darren) of Midland, Jamie Miller (Kristen) of Concord; two step-grandchildren Scott Frady (Dana) and Carl Frady (Shelley); four great-grandchildren, Brittany Van Der Meid of Midland, Joshua, Nathaniel and Sarah Miller of Concord; sister's, Josephine Strauss of Berwick, PA and Shirley Akins of Visalia, CA; sister-in-law, Louise Akins of Charlotte; and a number of nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in James's memory be made to Veterans of Foreign Wars, Processing Center, PO Box 8911, Topeka, Kansas 66608.
Hartsell Funeral Home of Midland is serving the Akins family.
Note:
The picture's of Van James was shared by his daughter Gaye.
A Celebration of James's life will be held at Hartsell Funeral Home in Midland, 13575 Broadway Avenue on Thursday, March 20, 2014 at 11 am, with Rev. Gene Frady, Sr. officiating. The family will receive friends at 10 am, for 1 hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Howell's Baptist Church Cemetery 3800 Baptist Lane, Concord.
James was born on February 18, 1922 in Dundarrach, four miles south of Raeford, NC, to the late Van James Akins, Sr. and Alice McCracken Akins. He was also preceded in death by three brothers, Carl Akins (Elsie), Harvey Akins and Dwight Akins; four sisters, Viola Kelley (John), Mary McCord (Clyde), Rebecca Barker (Stanley), Bennie Daniel (Bob); son-in-law, Eddie Miller; and brother-in-law Jim Strauss.
James was a WWII veteran, having served his country in the US Navy as an Aviation Metal Smith. He was highly self-educated having to leave school in the 8th grade to help raise his brothers and sisters after his father died in 1934. He liked to travel, to read and learn new things. Always the innovator, he cut the right-of-way for his Charlotte telephone line to his home in Cabarrus County because of his work. James loved to fish and kept his lake stocked with bass and bream. he loved his God, his family and his church. He was a faithful member of Howell's Baptist Church. He taught Sunday School for many years and was a deacon and held various other church offices. He was an avid woodworker, mechanic and all around jack-of-all trades. James retired from Johnson Motor Lines in 1980 as a long-line truck driver and was a member of the Teamsters Union Local 71 in Charlotte, NC.
He is survived by his loving wife of 73 years, Esther Moore Akins of the home; two daughters, Barbara Miller and Gaye Frady (Gene) all of Concord; three grandchildren, Master Sergeant Larry Frady, II of Yokota Air Force Base in Japan, Kimberly Van Der Meid (Darren) of Midland, Jamie Miller (Kristen) of Concord; two step-grandchildren Scott Frady (Dana) and Carl Frady (Shelley); four great-grandchildren, Brittany Van Der Meid of Midland, Joshua, Nathaniel and Sarah Miller of Concord; sister's, Josephine Strauss of Berwick, PA and Shirley Akins of Visalia, CA; sister-in-law, Louise Akins of Charlotte; and a number of nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in James's memory be made to Veterans of Foreign Wars, Processing Center, PO Box 8911, Topeka, Kansas 66608.
Hartsell Funeral Home of Midland is serving the Akins family.
Note:
The picture's of Van James was shared by his daughter Gaye.
Van James Akins, Jr. of Concord entered into his heavenly home on Monday, March 17, 2014, following two years of declining health.
A Celebration of James's life will be held at Hartsell Funeral Home in Midland, 13575 Broadway Avenue on Thursday, March 20, 2014 at 11 am, with Rev. Gene Frady, Sr. officiating. The family will receive friends at 10 am, for 1 hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Howell's Baptist Church Cemetery 3800 Baptist Lane, Concord.
James was born on February 18, 1922 in Dundarrach, four miles south of Raeford, NC, to the late Van James Akins, Sr. and Alice McCracken Akins. He was also preceded in death by three brothers, Carl Akins (Elsie), Harvey Akins and Dwight Akins; four sisters, Viola Kelley (John), Mary McCord (Clyde), Rebecca Barker (Stanley), Bennie Daniel (Bob); son-in-law, Eddie Miller; and brother-in-law Jim Strauss.
James was a WWII veteran, having served his country in the US Navy as an Aviation Metal Smith. He was highly self-educated having to leave school in the 8th grade to help raise his brothers and sisters after his father died in 1934. He liked to travel, to read and learn new things. Always the innovator, he cut the right-of-way for his Charlotte telephone line to his home in Cabarrus County because of his work. James loved to fish and kept his lake stocked with bass and bream. he loved his God, his family and his church. He was a faithful member of Howell's Baptist Church. He taught Sunday School for many years and was a deacon and held various other church offices. He was an avid woodworker, mechanic and all around jack-of-all trades. James retired from Johnson Motor Lines in 1980 as a long-line truck driver and was a member of the Teamsters Union Local 71 in Charlotte, NC.
He is survived by his loving wife of 73 years, Esther Moore Akins of the home; two daughters, Barbara Miller and Gaye Frady (Gene) all of Concord; three grandchildren, Master Sergeant Larry Frady, II of Yokota Air Force Base in Japan, Kimberly Van Der Meid (Darren) of Midland, Jamie Miller (Kristen) of Concord; two step-grandchildren Scott Frady (Dana) and Carl Frady (Shelley); four great-grandchildren, Brittany Van Der Meid of Midland, Joshua, Nathaniel and Sarah Miller of Concord; sister's, Josephine Strauss of Berwick, PA and Shirley Akins of Visalia, CA; sister-in-law, Louise Akins of Charlotte; and a number of nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in James's memory be made to Veterans of Foreign Wars, Processing Center, PO Box 8911, Topeka, Kansas 66608.
Hartsell Funeral Home of Midland is serving the Akins family.
Note:
The picture's of Van James was shared by his daughter Gaye.
A Celebration of James's life will be held at Hartsell Funeral Home in Midland, 13575 Broadway Avenue on Thursday, March 20, 2014 at 11 am, with Rev. Gene Frady, Sr. officiating. The family will receive friends at 10 am, for 1 hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Howell's Baptist Church Cemetery 3800 Baptist Lane, Concord.
James was born on February 18, 1922 in Dundarrach, four miles south of Raeford, NC, to the late Van James Akins, Sr. and Alice McCracken Akins. He was also preceded in death by three brothers, Carl Akins (Elsie), Harvey Akins and Dwight Akins; four sisters, Viola Kelley (John), Mary McCord (Clyde), Rebecca Barker (Stanley), Bennie Daniel (Bob); son-in-law, Eddie Miller; and brother-in-law Jim Strauss.
James was a WWII veteran, having served his country in the US Navy as an Aviation Metal Smith. He was highly self-educated having to leave school in the 8th grade to help raise his brothers and sisters after his father died in 1934. He liked to travel, to read and learn new things. Always the innovator, he cut the right-of-way for his Charlotte telephone line to his home in Cabarrus County because of his work. James loved to fish and kept his lake stocked with bass and bream. he loved his God, his family and his church. He was a faithful member of Howell's Baptist Church. He taught Sunday School for many years and was a deacon and held various other church offices. He was an avid woodworker, mechanic and all around jack-of-all trades. James retired from Johnson Motor Lines in 1980 as a long-line truck driver and was a member of the Teamsters Union Local 71 in Charlotte, NC.
He is survived by his loving wife of 73 years, Esther Moore Akins of the home; two daughters, Barbara Miller and Gaye Frady (Gene) all of Concord; three grandchildren, Master Sergeant Larry Frady, II of Yokota Air Force Base in Japan, Kimberly Van Der Meid (Darren) of Midland, Jamie Miller (Kristen) of Concord; two step-grandchildren Scott Frady (Dana) and Carl Frady (Shelley); four great-grandchildren, Brittany Van Der Meid of Midland, Joshua, Nathaniel and Sarah Miller of Concord; sister's, Josephine Strauss of Berwick, PA and Shirley Akins of Visalia, CA; sister-in-law, Louise Akins of Charlotte; and a number of nieces and nephews.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that contributions in James's memory be made to Veterans of Foreign Wars, Processing Center, PO Box 8911, Topeka, Kansas 66608.
Hartsell Funeral Home of Midland is serving the Akins family.
Note:
The picture's of Van James was shared by his daughter Gaye.
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