LT Eakins

LT Eakins, 92, passed away on December 10, 2019 at St. Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau with ‘Niece Linda Eakins’ by his side.  As per his wishes, a private burial graveside service was held on December 13th at Russell Heights Cemetery in Jackson, with the Rev. Janet Hopkins officiating.  A celebration of his life will be held Memorial Day weekend. 

LT was born September 30, 1927, second son to Erm and Pansy Eakins of the Burfordville/Whitewater area.  He grew up on a farm and attended the Helderman School, also known as ‘Tarpenneck’.  LT was baptized as a young boy in the Whitewater River and was of the Baptist faith.  He was a proud WW2 Army Veteran, having served at Camp Chickamagua in Beppu, Japan.  He was a member of the Jackson Elks Lodge #2652 and the VFW Post #3838 in Cape Girardeau. 

In 1946, LT married Sonia Vernell Propst of Sedgewickville.  To their union, three children were born, Carol Ann, Danny and Mary Ruth.  They raised their family in St. Louis, where LT worked 35 years as a shop foreman at Bi-State Transit (Metro).  His first wife, all three children and a grandchild preceded him in death. 

LT’s siblings, Coy (Mary) Eakins, Gertrude (Wayne) Myers and Mable (Paul) Clardy also preceded him in death.  He is survived by two brothers-in-law, Paul Clardy and Gary Reynolds.  Most of his friends preceded him in death.

He is survived by his lifelong childhood friend Lane (Kathryn) Young of Arab, Alabama; two grandchildren of the St. Louis area, six great-grandchildren, and several nieces and nephews. 

In 1991 LT retired to Jackson.  On October 16, 1998, he married his childhood sweetheart, Mary Lou Reynolds.  They were together almost 18 years until her death in 2016.  They enjoyed camping, gardening, working at the farm, and LT loved to make homemade horseradish (no doubt the hottest in town), and took great pride in restoring Coy’s antique tractor.  LT was young at heart, lived life to the fullest and was most happy when he had a belly full of biscuits and gravy.    

The past few years, LT has been asked several times by a parade of nursing home and hospital employees, what does ‘LT’ stand for?  His reply was, ‘nothing’.  His legal name was just ‘LT’, no periods, no spaces, and no middle name.  However, LT also answered to ‘Joe’.  When he joined the Army, he was told no one would ever remember his name and to come up with something else, so he named himself Joe.  His St. Louis friends only knew him as Joe, and probably many of his extended family are just learning this now.  LT was as unique as his name.  

‘Niece Linda’ wishes to thank Dr Clifford Talbert and Dr Charles Pewitt for caring for her uncle almost 30 years; and in recent years, Dr. Khalid Waliullah, Dr C. Edward LaValle III, Dr. Randall Stahly, and Dr. Tamara Schaefer and her exceptional team.   Also, many thanks to Jackson Meals on Wheels, the Jackson Fire Department and Southeast Hospitals MedTele nursing team.   

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials be made to the Veteran Avenue of Flags at VFW #3838, 1049 N. Kingshighway, Cape Girardeau MO  63701.

Online condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.mccombsfuneralhome.com.

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