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 Walter L. Adkins has been working in the funeral industry for 18 years, attesting to his experience within the profession and his commitment to the families he serves. At the age of seventeen, Walter began his career during his years of active service in the Army when he was stationed at the Armed Forces Mortuary in Frankfurt, Germany. Walter dedicated these years to serving our country and learning his trade. After three years overseas, he returned home to attend college, first at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree, and then at Mid-West College of Mortuary Sciences in Jeffersonville, Indiana, where he acquired an Associates Degree in his field. In addition to the demands of his education, Walter continued to serve America in the Army Reserves while also working in many ancillary positions at various funeral homes, including fulfilling a one-year apprenticeship requirement at Barlett-Chapman Funeral Home in St. Albans, West Virginia. Walter attained his licenses for funeral directing and embalming in his native state of West Virginia in 1995. For several years he worked at Morris Funeral Home in Wayne, West Virginia, near where he grew up. In 1998, he reciprocated his licenses to Ohio and took a position at Skillman-McDonald Funeral Home in Mechanicsburg, Ohio. Walter had always aspired to own and operate his own funeral home, which led him to observe and learn from every position he held. He grew to understand the responsibility of caring for each family on an individualized basis, and he felt a certain calling to provide that special comfort to each family he served. Once he felt he had enough experience, Walter began to search for a location that needed a funeral home and that search led him to his wife’s hometown of Enon, Ohio. Adkins Funeral Home has been in operation for over a year, and the Enon community has received this new business very well. In return, Walter has tried to show his gratitude by becoming involved in community activities. Walter initiated efforts to begin a business association in which the business owners of Enon could become better acquainted, support each other and facilitate community involvement. These efforts proved fruitful and in the summer of 2004 the Enon Area Business Association (EABA) was formed, at which time Walter was voted in as president of the association. The first order of business for EABA was to create and freely distribute a business directory for the Enon Area. Walter and his wife, Sheri, are also highly involved with the Enon Community Historical Society; aside from being active members, Walter is a trustee for the society and serves on the committee which oversees the annual Apple Butter Festival. Walter strongly believes in supporting community events and issues, and Enon has quickly become home for the Adkins family. In the fall of 2004, Adkins Funeral Home was honored to accept a government contract with Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to provide the final arrangements for service men and women. This honor continues the record of Walter’s proud service to his country and his appreciation to our veterans. Walter Adkins is dedicated to the families who have entrusted him with their final wishes. He personally oversees every aspect of the Adkins Funeral Home, ensuring that every family is treated with equal devotion — the kind of devotion that he would give to his own family. Sheri R. Adkins is originally from the Enon area. Many members of her family have been influential community leaders and business owners in their own right. Her grandparents owned Preston’s IGA in Hustead during the 1960’s and early 70’s. Her aunt, Sarah Childers, was a Bath Township Trustee for many years and owner of the Mel-O-Dee Restaurant (which is still under the family’s ownership). The former owners of the Enon IGA, the Muncy family, are also close relations. Sheri passed the entirety of her youth in Mad River Township. Her parents, Larry and Patty Preston, have been residents of this area for nearly forty years. Sheri graduated from Greenon High School, like her father before her, in 1988. She attended Clark State Community College and eventually pursued a career as a cosmetologist, which has become a useful asset to the funeral home. In 1991, Sheri was introduced to Walter Adkins and two years later was happy to become his bride. They welcomed their daughter, Emily, into their family in 1996 and their son, Samuel, in 2000. Sheri feels fortunate to have helped bring the Adkins Funeral Home to her hometown. She believes Enon needed a place for families to turn to in their darkest hour, a place where they felt comfortable, a place to honor their loved one’s wishes that is close to home. In addition to working at the funeral home, Sheri, like her husband, reaches out to community as well. She serves on the expansion fund committee for the Enon Historical Society. She is also an active member in the Enon Elementary PTO and is the Room Parent Coordinator for the school. |