Herbert J. Akins Jr.

Private family Mass of Christian Burial for Herbert “Herb” Joseph Akins Jr., will be held at Our Lady of Hope Parish in Hoyt Lakes with Fr. Peter Lambert as celebrant.  Visitation and reviewal for family and friends will be held Thursday, June 18, 2020 from 3:00-6:00pm at Ziemer-Moeglein-Shatava Funeral Home in Aurora.  Burial will be in the Hoyt Lakes Memorial Cemetery.

Herb lost his battle with Parkinson’s Disease on Sunday, June 14, 2020 at his home in Hoyt Lakes.

He was born May 4, 1935 in Duluth, Minnesota to Herbert and Angela (Deyak) Akins Sr.  Herb attended school in Two Harbors and Ely and graduated from Ely High School in 1954.  He attended Ely Jr. College and later received his Bachelor’s Degree in Education from Moorhead State College.

Herb served our country in the US Army from 1958-1960 and was discharged in 1964. On July 30, 1960 he married Dorothy Kangas in Ely, Minnesota.  Following his military service, he returned working for Reserve Mining Company in Babbitt.  He taught elementary school in Brownton, Minnesota prior to coming to Hoyt Lakes in 1967.  Here, he taught for the Aurora-Hoyt Lakes Public Schools for 26 years.

Music was a vital part of Herb’s life.  He sang in school musical groups and operettas. He enjoyed performing ethnic music with the Pittsburg All-University Tamburitzans.  He competed in US Army contests, sang with dance bands and was a soloist at numerous weddings and funerals.  Herb was a member of Queen of Peace Catholic Church and was a Fourth Degree member of the Knights of Columbus where he served as Grand Knight.

Survivors include his wife, Dorothy; Children: Jana Akins of Jacksonville, FL, John (Gina) Akins of Shoreview and Alan Akins of White Bear Lake; seven grandchildren; two great grandchildren; twin brother, Frank Akins of Tower; nieces, nephews and cousins.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Herbert Sr and Angela and his son, Bryan.