Jerald Akin

Jerald Bruce Akin, Twin Falls, ID

Born: December 23, 1939. Died: November 11, 2018.

His two brothers Ronnie and Jimmy called him “Bruce" when they wanted to tease him. I don't know why they thought that was so funny, or why it made him so mad? But, that's just boys. To the rest of the world he was Jerry.

Dogs and kids alike adored Jerry. When he was about 17, a little neighborhood boy of about six knocked on our door and said, “Can Jerry come out to play?” The meanest junkyard dog would be a whimpering, quivering puppy at the sound of Jerry’s voice telling them “I’m going to get your cookie.”  He never failed to help a neighbor – by giving them a ride or sharing food. People brought items to him to fix.

Like his Dad, Joe Akin of Percell, OK, Jerry could build or fix most anything, but he'd usually take it apart first to see how it went together. He could drive trucks, repair countless bikes to give away, and replace the engine on a vehicle. When electronics came along he had the same approach. Nothing made him more frustrated than the first time he tried to use a mouse. He took apart dozens of discarded PC’s to see what made them tick. With drawers full of old motherboards and RAM chips, he refurbished and sold and gave away who knows how many computers. He was the only guy in the nursing home to devote half his tiny living space to a workshop and kept right on being Jerry with towering shelves of parts at the foot of his bed.

No one was better to have around a campfire than Jerry. He’d tend to it – no worries. And he'd tell you to yell, "Rabbit" if you didn't want the smoke in your eyes. If we got him started singing old country songs and gospels, we had the sweetest moments and were never bothered by wild animals. If you asked him to dig your sleeping bag out of the car (the one with the pink tag on it), he’d toss you another one. “They're all alike and this one’s closer” was his philosophy.

Each of his siblings, Ron and Jim Akin in Lake Oswego and Roseburg, OR; Debbie Akin-Mitchell in Twin Falls, ID, and Alannah Allbrett of Grangeville, ID, could spin endless tales about memories with Jerry. His son, Brian Akin resides in Salem, OR. His nephews: Chad Allbrett in Grangeville, ID; Lawrence Russell Akin in California City, CA; Chris Akin, Roseburg, OR; Nieces Lisa Greganti in Yorba Linda, CA, and Jennifer Campbell in Boise, ID miss him already, There’s never enough time for one last hug or to have him thump you on the head with a piece of candy.  His second son, Timothy Akin was lost as a toddler of 18 months to crib death. Jerry never recovered from that pain. A niece Shawna Akin and nephew Jason Akin left this world before him as well. Another nephew, Mark Akin, lives in Lompoc, CA

Our family will hold a loving place in our hearts always for our Jerry. His mom, Erica Van Wells (born Hazel Anne Newby in Havre, MT), well, she’s with him already in glory – no doubt they're eating sourdough hotcakes together. I don’t suppose the good Lord needs computers in heaven, but if one breaks – Jerry’s His man! (Jerry will be probably be singing a Luke the Drifter song.)