Major Wayne D. Adkins, 81, passed away on February 10, 2017. He was born April 27, 1935 in Holdenville, Oklahoma, the son of Ira Adkins and Iva Moore Adkins. He grew up in Riverbank, California and joined the U.S. Air Force in 1954. He was trained as a navigator and flew the F-101, the C-130 and the EC-121. He was a member of the Caterpillar Club, a loose knit group of aviators that successfully survived ejection from a disabled aircraft. He served in Vietnam where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. After retirement from the Air Force, he attended California State University at Sacramento where he completed his B.A. in Business Administration. Following graduation, he worked as a business management consultant. After many years living and working in California, Wayne moved to Jacksonville and began work for the Internal Revenue Service. In Jacksonville, he met and married his beloved wife, Fran. Wayne was an active member of the Fruit Cove Baptist Church. He was an avid reader and a voracious consumer of news and current events. He loved his three cats, enjoyed gardening and had a passion for collecting and restoring antique cars. Wayne is survived by his wife of 15 years, Fran; sons, Wayne D. (Jennifer A.) Adkins and Clark W. (Rhea) Adkins; step-sons, Richard T. Clayton, Terry L. (Karen) Clayton and Burl “Jerry” (Melody) Clayton; step-daughters, Elizabeth E. (Kelly) Clackler and Gladys C. (Mark) Bradford; sister, Geneva Adkins Braden; grandchildren, Wayne D. Adkins, III., Lindsey C. Adkins, Collin R. (Jenna) Adkins, Emily (John) Ward and Ellen Adkins; great grandchildren, Jack C. Adkins, Sadie Mae Adkins and Ella Rae Adkins; and numerous step-grandchildren and step-great grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Shirley Adkins Alexander, and brother, Stanley D. Adkins. Visitation will be held on Monday, February 13 from 10 a.m. until time of Funeral Service at 11 a.m. at Fruit Cove Baptist Church, 501 FL-13 Saint Johns, FL 32259. A Graveside Service will be held at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA. Memorial Contributions may be made to Community Hospice of Northeast Florida, 4266 Sunbeam Rd. Jacksonville, FL 32257. Arrangements are under the care and direction of Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home of Mandarin, 11801 San Jose Blvd. Jacksonville, FL 32223, www.hgmandarin.com, 904-288-0025.
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