William Douglas Adkins
202 Maple Ave., Oak Hill, Ohio 45656
(p) 740-682-6696 (f) 740-682-7862
William Douglas Adkins, age 80, of Chillicothe, Ohio passed away Sunday, December 24th, 2023, at home surrounded by his family after a lengthy battle with cancer. He was born August 13th, 1943, in Oak Hill, Ohio to the late Charles Adkins and Lucille (Leonard) Adkins. He married Bobbie Jean Henry on April 10th, 1965, in Van Wert, Ohio.
He served in the U.S. Navy from August of 1960 to September of 1964 as a boatswain’s mate third class. He worked many jobs after his military service before beginning his life’s work as the owner of Adkin’s Scrap Metal Company. He ran this business for 22 years. William was a member of the Hickory Grove Baptist Church for 41 years.
He is survived by his wife, Bobbie J. Adkins of Chillicothe, Ohio; son, Billy Joe (Christa Bailey) Adkins of Chillicothe, Ohio; grandchildren: Nicholas Adkins and Jordan Walker of Hillsboro, Ohio, Corbin and Bailey Walker of Rio Grande, Ohio, and Kendal Walker of Chillicothe, Ohio; sister, Doris (Robert) Adkins Puckett of Oak Hill, Ohio; Phyllis (Adkins) Cooper of Wellston, Ohio; family friend, Anita Thackston; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers, Lonnie Adkins and Elmo Adkins; sisters, Faye Adkins, Elaine (Adkins) Moore, and Edith (Adkins) Reese; and nephew, Michael Moore.
Known as “Buttermilk” or “Butter” to many, he was a lifelong lover of music. He began playing and singing in his teens and continued up until his final days on earth. He loved three things in his life, firstly, the Lord Jesus Christ and he never missed and opportunity to share that love with anyone who wanted to listen. Secondly, his love of family. He brought a smile to everyone’s face when he entered a room and was always laughing and cheerful, even to the perfect stranger. Finally, he had a love of music, not just to play it, but to study it and get better at it every day. His greatest joy was to play music with young people and watch them grow as musicians.
We will always carry on your memory in our hearts.
A viewing will be held on Thursday, December 28th, 2023, from 11AM-1PM at the Hickory Grove Church. Funeral services will immediately follow at 1PM with Elders, Kurt Smith, David Trimble, Tom Henderson, and Jeff Conley officiating and music by Dan Smith. Interment to follow at Hickory Grove Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent to www.lewisgillum.com.
Doug Adkins Tribute
For those of you who may not know me, my name is Pete Wilson. I knew Doug through marriage as I married one of his nieces, Pamela Cooper Wilson, who, of course, has known Doug all her life – and we wrote this piece together on Christmas evening, in his memory. So while, I may be standing up here and reading this to you, my words come from Pam’s thoughts, impressions and memories of her uncle and the man we both mourn and honor today – William Douglas Adkins.
As you all know, Doug had a very unique and vibrant personality. Once you met him, and the more you got to know him, you would probably never forget him. There is not -- and never will be -- another man just like Doug Adkins.
Of course, he had that great sense of humor. He liked to laugh and he liked to make other people laugh – which he also did with his witty ways and his joking manner. He was also a gifted storyteller, and when Doug was around, there were always plenty of smiles in the room. He was a person who seemed to enjoy life.
On the other hand, Doug was also a deep thinker and he always loved to learn new things and be able to do new things. In that way he was a lifelong learner and a progressive human being, always looking to improve himself and move ahead.
Doug was a strong person with very strong convictions on some things but he was also humble in his heart. He believed in self-reliance and working hard -- as he lived his own life -- but he also believed in helping his fellow man when they most needed it.
Doug was very hospitable and enjoyed being involved with and talking to people, whether it was family, friends, neighbors, church elders or young people. He could talk to anyone and was always comfortable in his own skin -- no matter to whom he was talking. He was unfailingly honest and straightforward, which means he could and would speak his mind. But you could count on his word, his sincerity and his good intentions. He said what he meant and he meant what he said -- that seems to be easier said than done these days.
Doug was a devout Christian who loved the church very much and had a close personal relationship with God that seemed to deepen and grow ever stronger in his later years. Christianity was one of the pillars of his personal strength. As far as acting on his Christianity, he was a deeply spiritual man and he firmly believed in the concept of loving one another and expressing that love to one another. He was also very giving of himself – his time, his labor, his support, his companionship, and as a loving caregiver. In this regard, he was more of a doer than a talker.
Doug grew up in the 1940s and 1950s during some hard times and was one of eight children. As a young adult he served briefly in the U.S. Navy and later pursued various entrepreneurial interests. To his credit, he was able to become a success in life and provide well for his family through his own hard work, his ingenuity and his practical real-world smarts.
But there were many layers to Doug Adkins. On the cultural side, he was very creative and artistic and was a wonderful singer and musician. He could play multiple musical instruments -- all self-taught to perfection. His rich, deep singing voice was a joy to hear.
(Pam’s favorite memory of her Uncle Doug is the sight of him playing his fiddle and tapping his foot with a big smile, in the apple barn at harvest time – his music blending with the background buzz of a big family, just enjoying a cool, fall evening together after a hard day’s work. She was just five years old, but this happy vision has stayed with Pam all of her life.)
Doug could play and sing solo; in a duet, or a trio; with friends and family; with a church congregation; and later with organized bands. He made a name for himself as a singer and I’m sure he loved to use his talent to praise the Lord. Indeed, there can be no doubt that today, the angels have a new member of the choir.
For these reasons and more, William Douglas Adkins will be greatly missed, but we will never forget what he was in life and how much he meant to us. We should take consolation that our loved one is now in an even better place after a well-lived and full life.