Harold Justin Akey

A devoted husband and family man, Harold J. Akey, 87, of West Springfield, MA, died peacefully on Nov. 22 at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, MA.

He was known as "Uncle Butch" to his many nieces and nephews and "Grandpa Hay" or just "Hay" to his grandchildren and hundreds of children during his semi-retirement school bus driving job.

Born in Montague, MA on Sept. 5, 1936, Harold was raised in Greenfield, MA by his parents, the late Clifford J. and Marie (Fisher) Akey. He graduated from Greenfield High School in 1955 and married Paula Catherine (O'Connor) of Greenfield on April 4, 1959. The couple moved to Garden Street in West Springfield in 1960 and to Hale Street in 1964.

Harold served in the U.S. Army during the Berlin Crisis. He received a bachelor's in business administration, cum laude, and an MBA from then-Western New England College in Springfield. His corporate career spanned several companies, including Kaman Aerospace, Worthington Corporation and Lydall, Inc.

Harold embraced the outdoors, to the point of commuting by bicycle 12 months a year on the 16-mile roundtrip to his office in Holyoke, MA. He also opened a bike shop in his basement to sell and service equipment for friends and family.

Harold and his family enjoyed cycling, cross-country skiing, camping, canoeing, and kayaking. Hiking was another favorite of Harold's leading to his years of trail maintenance volunteer work overseeing a local 3.6-mile section of The New England National Scenic Trail (NET). Formerly called the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail, the NET this year named a new tent site on the trail in West Springfield for him. The Appalachian Mountain Club maintains the NET in Massachusetts.

Harold was behind the effort to promote West Springfield's natural resources by adding signage to our brooks and streams to build awareness and by designing a short nature trail by the Memorial Pool. He also advised the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission for several years on the development of the Connecticut River Walk which opened in town in 2015.

Giving back was central to Harold's life. Harold was a member of the West Springfield Lions Club from 1977-2022, serving as president 1980-81. In 1995, the Lions awarded him the Melvin Jones Fellowship Award, the highest award a Lion may receive. He volunteered for years on the town's Friends of Park & Recreation (FOPAR) group, happy to get his hands dirty working on projects at Mittineague Park and other town locations.

A star high school basketball player, Harold took joy in watching hoops at all levels, especially the Boston Celtics, and was a fan of all New England sports teams.

Harold is survived by his loving wife, Paula (O'Connor) Akey, of West Springfield, MA; his children, Karen Pinkerman and her husband, Donald Pinkerman, of West Springfield, Steven Akey and his wife, Joyce Carrier, of Alexandria, VA, David Akey and his wife, Cindy McGarvey, of Enfield, CT, and Brian Akey and his wife, Eliza Camire-Akey, of Glens Falls, NY; his grandchildren, Ainsley Foley, of Burlington, VT, Katherine Pinkerman, of Agawam, MA, Kendall Akey, and her husband, Mark Lowy, of Jupiter, FL, Matthew Pinkerman and his wife, Amanda Pinkerman, of West Springfield, Sarah Pinkerman, of West Springfield and Logan Akey, of Arlington, VA; and his great-grandchildren: Scarlett Pinkerman, and Paxton Pinkerman, born Nov. 22, 2023, of West Springfield.

Private services will be held. In memory of Harold, donations may be made to the Appalachian Mountain Club, 10 City Square, Boston, MA 02129 or via their website: https://www.outdoors.org/donate/tribute-gifts or the Alzheimer's Association website: https://www.act.alz.org.