T. Bryan Akin III

T. BRYAN AKIN, III,beloved son, husband, father, grandfather and friend, passed away on December 7, 2004. He was a strong Christian who deeply loved his family. He will be missed greatly, but remembered for his gentle soul, sharp wit, brilliant intellect and competitive spirit. Bryan was born on September 25, 1950, in Houston to Peggie and Truett Akin. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Spring Woods High School in 1968. He was a member of the Air Force Corp of Cadets at Texas A&M University where he received a Bachelor of Science in 1972. He also received a Masters of Arts from the University of Nebraska in Lincoln (1975), a Masters of Business Administration from the University of Houston (1979) and a doctorate of Jurisprudence from South Texas College of Law (1990), Summa Cum Laude. Bryan met Terri Ellen Taylor while attending Texas A&M. She became his best friend and the love of his life. After he graduated they married and immediately moved to Omaha, Nebraska, where Bryan was stationed at Offutt AFB and their son, Truett Bryan Akin, IV, was born. When he received an honorable discharge from the Air Force, Bryan and his family returned to Houston and he began his civilian engineering career. His family continued to grow with the blessings of twin daughters, Rebecca Lynn and Patricia Jane, and his youngest daughter, Angela Marie. After graduation from law school, Bryan left engineering and accepted a position with Ernest H. Cannon, and later worked with State Representative A. Craig Eiland and Bruce Jamison. At the time of his death, he was a partner with Mikal Watts at the Watts Law Firm, where he proudly represented catastrophically injured individuals and wrongful deaths. Bryan has been a member of the State Bar of Texas since 1990 and was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court in 2000. Bryan was an active member of Jersey Village Baptist Church for over twenty years. He was also a registered Professional Engineer, a member of the Houston Bar Association, Houston Trial Lawyers Association, Texas Trial Lawyers Association, Association of Trial Lawyers of America, and the Fifth Circuit Bar Association. Bryan eagerly participated in the lives of his children, taking great joy in coaching little league baseball and basketball, leading in Boy and Girl Scouts, and watching his daughters in drill team. Softball was another joy in his life, and Bryan delighted in the camaraderie of his church teammates. His mother, Peggie, and infant daughter, Tracie Elizabeth, preceded Bryan in death. He is survived by his wife of 32 years, Terri; his father, Truett B. Akin, Jr.; his son and daughter-in-law, Truett and Elva; his daughters, Rebecca, Patricia and Angela; his grandson, T. Bryan Akin V; his sister and brother-in-law, Julie and Byron Pettit; and numerous nieces and nephews. Visitation will be held on Thursday, December 9, 2004, between 5:00 and 8:00 p.m., at Memorial Oaks Funeral Home. Funeral services will be on Friday, December 10, 2004, beginning at 11:00 a.m., at the Jersey Village Baptist Church, 16518 Jersey Drive, with a luncheon immediately thereafter. A private graveside service and interment will follow at Memorial Oaks Cemetery. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorial gifts in thanksgiving of Bryan's life may be given to M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Rehabilitation Services, P.O. Box 4486, Houston, Texas 77210-4486. Bryan's family extends heartfelt thanks to all those who supported him during his fight against cancer. Many came to the hospital and hospice to share humorous stories and touching memories of how he enriched their lives. The attorneys and staff at the Watts Law Firm provided unwavering support of and continuous prayers for their colleague and friend. Dr. Merrick Ross, Dr. Amy Heimberger, Dr. Agop Y. Bedikian and Carol Lacey, P.A.-C., and the entire rehab staff at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center provided treatment and encouragement. The nurses and staff at Houston Hospice were very nurturing and thoughtful during his final days. Bryan is now free of his cancerous body, but his caring soul lives on with many.