Orenthea James "O.J." Akins

Orenthea James Akins MADISON - Orenthea James "O.J." Akins, 25, a commercial truck driver, died Thursday, Feb. 5, 2004, in San Antonio. The service will be at 1 p.m. EST Saturday at Madison County Central High School Auditorium in Madison, with burial at Oakridge Cemetery. Family will receive friends from 3 to 7:30 p.m. EST Friday at Mount Zion AME Church No. 1 and from 11 a.m. EST until the service Saturday at the auditorium. Tillman Funeral Home in Monticello (997-5553) is handling arrangements. O.J. was born in Quitman, Ga., and was raised in Madison, where he attended school. He was a 1997 graduate of Madison County High School, where he was a member of the varsity football team. He received his commercial truck-driver training in Albany, Ga., and was employed by Justin Davis Enterprises in Madison. O.J. was a member of Wigginsville Missionary Baptist Church in Greenville. An industrious young man, O.J. had loved 18-wheelers since early childhood and always expressed his desire to become an over-the-road operator. Other than driving his Rig, he spent his time collecting model cars, reading automotive magazines and playing video games. Other than his many friends, colleagues and extended family, O.J.'s unexpected death is being mourned by his son, Caleb Zane Akins of Madison; his mother and stepfather, Nadine Lott Akins and Wilburt Gavin of Madison; his father, Melvin Akins of Madison; two sisters, Stephanie C. Akins of Madison and Melvia L. Akins of Tallahassee; a brother, Arna K. Akins of Tallahassee; his maternal grandmother, Juland Watson of Greenville; and his paternal grandmother, Mildred Akins of Madison.