House Concurrent Resolution 10

A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION HONORING THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF THE HONORABLE AND DISTINGUISHED GENTLEMAN FROM LAFAYETTE COUNTY, FORMER REPRESENTATIVE NOAL AKINS, AND EXPRESSING DEEPEST SYMPATHY TO HIS FAMILY, FRIENDS AND COMMUNITY UPON HIS PASSING.

WHEREAS, it is written in Ecclesiastes 3:1 that "To everything there is a season, and a time for every purpose under the Heaven," and as such, on October 30, 2022, the immaculate author and finisher of our soul's destiny summoned the mortal presence of the honorable and distinguished Gentleman from Lafayette County, former Representative Noal Akins, who represented House District 12, to eternal rest, rendering great sorrow and loss to his family, friends and community; and

WHEREAS, the community of Oxford, Mississippi, lost a wonderful friend with the passing of Representative Akins, and there is now a hush in our hearts as we come together to pay our respects to the memory of one who has been called to join that innumerable heavenly caravan; and

WHEREAS, born on August 21, 1938, to Mr. Noal and Mrs. Opal Akins, in Tippah County, Mississippi, Representative Akins' early years as the eldest of ten children prepared him for a future of serving on teams throughout his life; and

WHEREAS, a graduate of Buena Vista High School, Northeast Community College and Delta State University, Representative Akins played basketball at each level and could be heard chuckling softly when reviewing the box scores of the state basketball tournament when he was assured his record for most points scored in the state championship game had not been eclipsed, and he later received his master's degree in education from the University of Mississippi, which propelled him into a career of giving of himself to others as a teacher and coach; and

WHEREAS, continuing his outstanding service to the State of Mississippi, Representative Akins served on another team in the Mississippi National Guard; and

WHEREAS, Representative Akins' love for basketball thrust him to begin a career of coaching and education administration after graduating from college, and he coached teams at Walnut High School, Pontotoc High School, Marshall Academy, and Northwest and Northeast Community Colleges, and his teams won numerous district and state championships, which he later claimed were attained despite his presence on the sideline; and

WHEREAS, while in his first coaching job at Walnut High School, Representative Akins met his late wife, Joyce Graham, and he found himself a part of another team with Joyce, but discovered that you are not the captain on every team you join, and they were married until Joyce's passing in 1991; and

WHEREAS, it was the relationships that Representative Akins shared with his former players and students, and their parents that provided him the greatest delight during his later years, and he found increasing happiness in telling stories of the kids he loved so dearly and the goals and aspirations that they had achieved; and

WHEREAS, after coaching, Representative Akins started a business team, by developing a successful business that provided brick for numerous projects and homes in Mississippi, and any trip with him, much to the chagrin of his granddaughter, would include him pointing out any bricks he provided, the name and manufacturer of the bricks, where the dirt was from that made the bricks, and most importantly to him, a story of the people who lived inside the walls, and all drives would include how the area related to important points in Mississippi history, a topic he enjoyed discussing as he truly loved Mississippi and her people; and

WHEREAS, after selling his brick company, Representative Akins retired, and in "retirement" he, with others, helped to establish Oxford University Bank, which he supported by serving on the board of directors for many years, and retirement also included joining another team, as he campaigned and was successfully elected to the Mississippi House of Representatives, where he faithfully served two terms in the Mississippi Legislature from 2004 until 2012, representing Oxford and its surrounding communities; and

WHEREAS, during his distinguished tenure as a legislator, Representative Akins served on the following committees: Education, Judiciary B, Judiciary En Banc, Juvenile Justice and Universities and Colleges; and

WHEREAS, Representative Akins often spoke of the legislative process as being an ultimate "team sport," and he took great pride in finding common ground with colleagues, worked hard to gain the trust of those on both sides of the aisle, loved the debate, collegiality and the opportunity to help others, and prided himself on being a voice for reason, as he felt a responsibility to those in our state that needed a hand up because it was always the right thing to do; and

WHEREAS, though he has traversed life's river to now stand upon the celestial shores in wonderment of Heaven's grandeur in glorious reunion with the kindred spirits who transitioned before him, including his parents, Mr. Noal and Mrs. Opal Akins; wife, Joyce Akins; sisters, Mary Wilkerson and Nancy Akins; and brother, Benny Akins; the legacy of Representative Akins' indelible imprint upon our lives will continue to refresh the hearts and fond memories of his loved ones, including his daughter, Senator Nicole Akins Boyd, and her husband Daniel Boyd; granddaughter, Isabelle Boyd; grandson, Speight Boyd; sisters, Lillian Smith, Judy Holland and Penny Daniels; brothers, Mike Akins, Randy Akins and Terry Akins; and a host of other relatives and dear friends; and

WHEREAS, Representative Akins will forever be loved, cherished and missed by all who knew him, and since it is written in 2 Corinthians 5:8, that to be "absent from the body is to be present with the Lord," his family and friends can find peace and comfort during this difficult time; and

WHEREAS, a genuine man of exceptional character, Representative Akins' outstanding legacy will continue for generations to come, and precious memories of time spent with him will hopefully continue to provide warmth, peace and comfort to his loved ones; and

WHEREAS, it is the policy of this Legislature to honor the indelible legacy of remarkable service of our former colleague and friend, Representative Akins, who represented his district, this body and the people of this state with honor and dignity, and whose monumental life of a genuine selflessness illuminated the path of hope for all he encountered along this earthly sojourn:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI, THE SENATE CONCURRING THEREIN, That we do hereby commend the esteemed and laudable legislative career and public service and mourn the loss of the most honorable, distinguished Gentleman from Lafayette County, former Representative Noal Akins, and express sincere and deepest sympathy to his family and friends upon his passing.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be furnished to the family of former Representative Noal Akins, and to the members of the Capitol Press Corps.