James Jordan Adkins, 88, of Alderson, formerly of Liberty, Missouri, passed to his heavenly home peacefully at the Peyton Hospice House after a short battle with cancer on Thursday, July 31, 2025. He was born on Jan. 15, 1937, in Hinton, to the late Herbert Wilson and Willie Snow (Bragg) Adkins.
Jim left the area in 1955 after joining the United States Air Force where he served four years stationed in Lincoln, Nebraska. In August of 1958, he and Myrna were married. In 1959, he retired from the Air Force. In 1964, they moved to Kansas City, Missouri where he was hired by TWA in the maintenance department. He worked 34 years for TWA until he retired. In 1980, he joined the United States Navy Reserves and served through the end of 1981.
Jim loved boating and the outdoors. He built a house on the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. The decline in the health of his sister Sadie due to her battle with Alzheimer’s Disease brought him and Myrna back to West Virginia. Together, they cared for Sadie until her passing. Jim ended up with his dream farm in West Virginia and enjoyed being very busy for the past 22 years taking care of the farm. In fact, he was working up until his unexpected diagnosis with cancer on the 9th of July.
In 2006, Jim and Myrna joined the Clayton Baptist Church, where Jim went to church as a little boy. Jim was excited to be baptized in the Greenbrier River. He was so proud of his church and his church family.
Other than his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers Luther and Alvin, and sisters Sadie Adkins and Bertha Kirby.
Those left to cherish Jim’s kindness, memories, and love are his wife of 67 years, Myrna; brother Ray Adkins and his wife Ann; many nieces and nephews; and friends and neighbors. Myrna is very grateful for the support and help from Paul Adkins and his wife Beth, Lisa Priem and her husband Christian, and Andrew Adkins and his wife Becky. She also is very appreciative of the help and support from Jamie and Jeannine Utterback, David “Doc” Surgeon, David Harris, Grant and Kathy Petitt, and Travis Copenhaver.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, Aug. 9, at 1 p.m. at the Clayton Baptist Church with Pastor Grant Petitt officiating. The family will receive friends from 12 noon until the time of service. Interment will follow in the Clayton Baptist Church Cemetery.
Alderson Funeral Services and the Staff of Smathers Funeral Chapel is honored to take care of our friends Jim and Myrna during this unexpected loss.
Online condolences may be made at www.smathersfuneralchapelinc.com
