Sharon Ann Akins

Sharon Ann Akins, 81, of Kent, Ohio, went to be with the Lord Jesus on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.

Sharon was born in Akron, Ohio, the daughter of the late Alfred and Ada (Muster) Lenke and older sister of William (Debra) Lenke. She was the beloved wife of Terry Akins for 69 years; loving mother of Noelle (Steve) Fortenberry, Kristian (April) Akins, and Andrea (Eric) Cookson; and cherished grandma of Nicholas Akins Biebelhausen and Fremont, Courage, and Shepherd Cookson.

Sharon loved big. She loved Jesus, her family, and life itself. She had a strong spirit and a mind of her own, blazing forward on her own path. She was an outstanding majorette, clarinet player, and eager student and fashionista at Kent Roosevelt High School, graduating in 1963. Later in life she enjoyed learning at Cuyahoga Community College, embracing growth and challenge. Sharon worked as a cashier at Acme grocery store in Kent, where she met her loyal husband, Terry. Together they created a lifetime of memories brimming with carpools, concerts and swim meets.

She was a devoted mother who poured non-stop energy into her home, raising her children to love the Lord and work hard. Her joy only deepened when she became a grandmother. Her first grandchild, Nicholas, brought her immense delight, and she embraced her role with loving playfulness—“all the grand without all the ma-ing.” These were among her most treasured years.

Sharon had an adventurous heart, a work ethic that never stopped, and a deep appreciation for beauty. She could remove any laundry stain, make molehills out of mountains, and turn the ground into a living patchwork of love. She had a passion to laugh, to explore, and to say YES to life. Whether it was packing up the van to drive across country to meet her newborn grandbabies “fresh from God,” strolling Hilton Head beaches, chasing spring azaleas in the Smoky Mountains, or watching fireflies light up the night, she embraced each moment fully.

One of her proudest adventures was hiking the Grand Canyon with her children one year after having a massive heart attack—down the Bright Angel Trail to Phantom Ranch, where the Colorado River below mirrored the Milky Way above, and then climbing back up. It was a reflection of her spunk, determination, and love for shared experiences.

To keep Sharon’s memory alive: try mustard on your morning eggs, eat popcorn while playing rummy, laugh long and loud, plant something beautiful, and blow kisses to babies—especially the ones fresh from God. And if you do just one thing in Sharon’s memory, let it be this: “Shine for Jesus.”

Visitation will be Monday, April 13, 2026 from 10:00AM-11:00AM at Bissler & Sons Funeral Home and Crematory, 628 W. Main St. Kent, OH 44240. Funeral services will follow at 11:00AM on Monday at the funeral home. Interment will be at Chestnut Hill Memorial Park in Cuyahoga Falls.

Services in the care of Bissler and Sons Funeral Home and Crematory, 628 W. Main St. Kent, OH 44240.