Joe C. Eakin, III

 Joe C. Eakin, III was born in Waco, Texas on July 27, 1931 to Anne Pearl Wiggins Eakin and Joe Cecil Eakin, Jr. He passed into eternity on April 14, 2022.

 His childhood was spent in Waco, Chilton, and Marlin, Texas, where he graduated from Marlin High School in 1949.  He entered Baylor University in 1949 majoring in History and married Meriam Elder in 1953 in Kilgore, Texas.  He graduated from Baylor University in 1954 and continued his education, receiving a Bachelor of Divinity in 1957 from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He pastored Baptist churches in East Sabine, Teneha, and Mexia, Texas. He and his wife, Meriam moved to Tyler in 1989 where they have been long time members and supporters of Marvin United Methodist Church.

Joe had many and varied interests in life, including attaining licenses in real estate, pest control, reflexology and art.  He made a living as an oil & gas landman during the late 1970’s and the early 1980’s. If you knew Joe, you knew he was a “character” and always had a story to tell anyone who would listen.  He ultimately willed his body to UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas.

Joe is survived by his wife of almost 69 years, Meriam Elder Eakin, of Tyler; a daughter, Gretta Anne Eakin Sharp, of Chandler and husband; and a son, Joseph Elder Eakin, of Tyler. They were blessed with four grandchildren; Dr. Gretta Marie Sharp of Houston and husband, Kevin; Jace Eakin of Fort Worth; MacKenzie Eakin of Tyler and Nikki Stark of Comanche and husband, Jeff.  The blessings continued with six great-grandchildren, Stella, Sterling, Mark, Emilee, Clara Grace & Creede.

There are no immediate plans for a memorial, at this time.