William "Bill" L. Adkins

William “Bill” Luther Adkins, 83, passed peacefully Friday morning. This gentle, people and animal loving, and occasionally grumpy man has left a permanent mark etched on our hearts and will be sorely missed.

Bill was born February 18,1940, in West Columbia, to the late Charley and Marcilla Adkins.

Bill loved his wife, kids, grandkids and great grandkids with all his heart. He was a combination of someone who had a love of life and a firm understanding of what was important — simply living a life with those you love.

As he loved creating things with his hands, he was a self-taught wood and leather worker. He often made gifts for his loved ones to include leather camera straps, delightfully decorated belts and gun holsters, Adirondack chairs, corn hole games and little wagons for the grand and great grandkids.

He was a veteran of the United States Navy and a Master Mason 40-year Life Member of the Oliver Lodge, Number 133 A.F.M. He retired from the SCETV print shop after 30+ years.

Bill was very active in his church, Swansea First Baptist Church, where he took part in helping prepare the weekly Wednesday night Family Fellowship Meal and participated as a member of the Metallic Club Senior Adult Group and the Baptist Men’s Group. He was also a member of the BC Boys, a Brookland Cayce High School reunion group that meets once a month.

Bill loved Cowboy Action Shooting and was a member and former winner in competitive shooting with SASS, Single Action Shooting Society, Palmetto Posse, Columbia Chapter. He built and set up his own target range complete with a cowboy lounging against a building with his hat tipped over his eyes.

He loved to read and was particularly fond of mysteries. An outdoorsman, he loved to fish, hunt and golf. He coached a little league baseball team in his youth.

In his later years he decided that he was determined to learn to cook. He was notorious for burning, or nearly burning, everything he cooked on the grill. So, he built an outdoor kitchen, the infamous “ODK”, where he taught himself to become a pretty good grill master.

He is survived by his brother, Norman; his oldest son, Blane Johnson (Gwen); their children, Teresa Roof (Barry and children Andy and Clay), Christina Richburg (children Chandler, Braxdyn, Shaylynn and Elissa), Ian Johnson (Maria), and Breanna Johnson Livingston (Wesley and children Adilynn and Ellie); her daughter, Rene Walker (Wayne) and youngest son, Todd Johnson (Judith) and the “Wolf Pack” – the Johnson-Hawking family Gael, Belen, and Isais.

Bill is preceded in death by a brother; a sister; and grandson, Alexander Ryan Johnson.

A graveside funeral service will be held at 12:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at Southland Memorial Gardens, 700 West Dunbar Road, West Columbia, SC 29170.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.caughmansouthland.com for the Adkins family.