Bob Adkisson

Robert Hassel Adkisson was born in Hardin County, Tennessee on July 29, 1934, the son of the late Robert W. and Aleen Hinton Adkisson. He completed his high school education in Savannah, Tennessee, before marrying Mary Julia Thomas on June 6, 1953. Not long after their marriage, Bob, as he was known to everyone, enlisted in the Tennessee Army National Guard where he served as a Rifleman and Squad Leader from 1954 through 1956.

For 54 years, Bob co-owned and operated the Savannah Radiator Shop where he was truly a jack of all trades. In addition to doing radiator work, he also set steel for metal buildings and created beautiful ornamental iron. In later years he added selling metal buildings and horse trailers to his resume as well as owning and renting storage units. And through it all he operated his “Honey Wagon”, a name he gave his truck used for pumping septic tanks because he said the money it made went to his honey.

Bob was a faithful member of the Savannah Church of Christ where he served as an elder for over 20 years. Always community minded, he was also a member of the Lions Club, the Savannah Jaycees, and the Volunteer Fire Department. He even served as a City Commissioner for several years. But one of his greatest loves was training and showing Tennessee Walking Horses. Not only did he personally work with the horses, but he also served as a national judge for walking horse shows all over the country. His work in the horse industry and his memberships in the West Tennessee Walking Horse Association and the Tennessee Walking Horse Association led to an abundance of life-long friendships.

Always a people person, Bob made it his mission to consistently visit with those who were sick or suffering in some manner, often being one of the faithful few who would continue after most everyone else stopped. Above all, he was a wonderful husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, and father-in-law, the key word in almost all of those relationships being “father”.

Bob Adkisson left this earth on Sunday, January 27, 2019 at the age of 84 years, 5 months and 29 days. Other than his wife, Mary Julia Adkisson of Savannah, Tennessee, he leaves his three daughters, Diann Wilkins and her husband Dick, Julie Gail Adkisson, and Bobbie Lynn Clark and her husband Keith, all of Savannah, Tennessee, his brother Rex Adkisson of Savannah, Tennessee, and his two sisters, June Vinson of Adamsville, Tennessee and Janice Claiborne of Nashville, Tennessee. Bob also leaves his five grandchildren, Erin Latch and her husband Chad of Savannah, Tennessee, Leslie Eldridge and her husband Adam of Cookeville, Tennessee, Luke Pilkinton and his wife Christa of Savannah, Tennessee, JT Clark and his wife Jada of Savannah, Tennessee, and Julia Lynn Clark also of Savannah, Tennessee, seven great-grandchildren, Laura Ann Pilkinton, Preston Eldridge, Elijah Latch, Abigail Eldridge, Paul Robert Pilkinton, Kate Clark, and Ty Clark, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Other than his parents, Bob was preceded in death by his in-laws O. O. and Frankie Thomas, his sister and brother-in-law Gail and Jeff Selby, his sister-in-law Geraldine Adkisson, and his brother-in-law, Billy Ray Vinson.

The family requests that memorial donations be made to The Savannah Church of Christ at 1175 Pickwick Street, Savannah, Tennessee 38372.