Charles Miller Akin, Sr.

July 4, 1936 - April 2, 2022

Charles Miller Akin, Sr. 'Charlie', 85 years of age, passed away peacefully and surrounded by his family on Saturday, April 2, 2022. He was born in Nashville, Tennessee on July 4, 1936, our nation's Independence Day of which he was so very proud. After graduating from Nashville's Central High School in 1955 where he lettered in football and learned cabinetry, Charlie entered the US Naval Reserve achieving the rank of Gunners Mate Second Class. Professionally most that knew him, knew him as a Kroger executive. As the oldest of five, he went straight to work to support his family bagging groceries and worked his way up all the way to become Kroger's 2nd most senior executive in the Atlanta Division, the Director of Merchandising. After a distinguished 35-year career at Kroger, in 1986, he began a new career dedicated to ideas and concepts he dreamed of at Kroger, like one stop shopping. This led to another 21 years supporting grocery retail with five years at Atlanta Foods International and was a pioneer in the late 1990's bringing the first banks into our grocery stores all across the entire country as an Executive Vice President of International Banking Technologies. Charlie was also a Christian with a tireless drive to help and serve others first. He first accepted Christ at 12 years of age spawning a lifetime of service including the Deacon Board at Heritage Hill Baptist Church, leading the Town Park Homeowners Association for 4 years, serving Social Circle City Schools Board of Education for 4 years, the Deacon Board of First Baptist Church of Social Circle for 3 years, and for the last 4 years was currently the Chairman of the Social Circle Christian School (SCCS) committee. Charlie loved life and spending time with his wife and family. He loved gardening and tending to his collection of Christmas cacti, playing golf, going out to eat, and bragging about his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. Mr. Akin was preceded in death by his first wife, Marilyn Akin; parents, Lash and Grace Akin; and brother, Steve Akin. He is survived by his wife, Sandy Akin; daughter and son-in-law, Kim and Mike Walker; son and daughter-in-law, Chuck and Jami Czuba Akin; step-daughter and son-in-law, Milyssa and Cory Campbell; step-sons and daughters-in-law, Tom and Terisa Scott, David and Donna Scott; sisters and brothers-in-law, Bettye and Jay Rodgers, Becci and Paul Bookner; brother and sister-in-law, Patrick and Cheryl Akin; 5 grandchildren; and 3 great-grandchildren. Funeral services will be held Wednesday, April 6, 2022 at 11:00 AM at Social Circle Baptist Church with Mike Hardy and Pastor Joe Hughes officiating; interment will follow at Green Meadow Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends Tuesday, April 5, 2022 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, our family would prefer donations be made to either the Grace Woodruff Akin Endowed Scholarship Online or by mail to: Lipscomb University, One University Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37204 Attention: Paul Stovall for Grace Woodruff Akin Endowed Scholarship or the Frank W. Educational Scholarship Fund by sending your donations to First Baptist Church Social Circle, 195 N. Cherokee Road, P.O. Box 428 Social Circle, GA 30025. Attention: Patty Garner with a note that your donation is for the Frank W. Educational Scholarship Fund. Condolences may be submitted on-line at www.scotward.com. Scot Ward Funeral Services, 699 American Legion Rd., Conyers, GA, 770-483-7216.