| | Herbert Adkins
WINTER HAVEN -- For 25 years Mr. Herbert Adkins and his wife, Vivian, were missionaries through their independent organization, West Indies Christian Outreach. They built three Christian elementary schools in Jamaica and touched countless children's lives.
"They built the schools from scratch, and they would get them established with the local people," said his daughter, Vicki Lynn of Winter Haven. "They were always a team. Daddy was kind of the leg work, the builder, the contractor, the visionary. My mother was a schoolteacher, administrator, and she trained teachers."
Mr. Adkins, a minister and missionary, died of pancreatic cancer Wednesday (June 21, 2006) at Good Shepherd Hospice on Auburndale. He was 74.
Born in Madison, W.Va., on Sept. 12, 1931, he came to Winter Haven from Ohio in 1964. For years, Mr. Adkins worked at Lakeland Transmission on Main Street along with his best friend at the time, the late Pat Patton.
"When Daddy came to know the Lord in 1971, his friend Pat was the first person that he brought to the Lord with him. Pat would go on to have a prison ministry," Lynn said.
In 1973, the family went to Jamaica and began its missionary work. They focused primarily on Jamaica, although they went to other Caribbean islands as well.
The couple retired eight years ago and lived in Ocala for a few years before returning to Winter Haven two years ago. He continued to minister in area churches.
"Daddy had written two little books with little stories of his years in the mission field, just little small paperbacks. People that knew him, if they wanted to hear his stories, they got his book. Various churches where he would speak would grab up 100 or so and sell them in their book stores," Lynn said.
Most recently he attended New Hope Church.
In addition to his daughter, Vicki A. Lynn, Mr. Adkins is survived by his wife of 53 years, Vivian Adkins; daughters, Kathy White, Auburn, Ala., Nancy Adkins, Ocala; son, Jim Adkins, Palm Coast; sister, Anna Murray, Orange Springs; seven grandchildren; eight great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 6 to 8 this evening at Oak Ridge Funeral Care, Winter Haven. Services will be at 3 p.m. Saturday at New Hope Church. Burial will be in Florida National Cemetery in Bushnell.
Memorials may be made to Good Shepherd Hospice, 105 Arneson Ave., Auburndale, FL 33823, Meals on Wheels, or the Community Pregnancy Center.
By Rhonda Gentle
The Ledger
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