David Kelley Akin

Dave was a kind man, with a steady manner and a positive, independent spirit.

He had a special love for sailing alone, where other responsibilities were suspended and his actions were controlled solely by his own “anticipation and reaction to wind and water,” he wrote.

He was born in Manchester, CT. He spent the early years of his career and raised his daughters in the Berkshires. He moved to Cape Cod in 1987 to locate his business closer to clients and himself closer to the ocean.

Dave was an enthusiastic alumnus of Middlebury College (’63). He went on to a career in plastics mold design engineering. He loved to work with his hands, and enjoyed the creative process of inventing and fixing—especially when it involved reusing or repurposing parts and materials.

He was a steadfast supporter of his family, who will miss him dearly: his sister Callie Weller and brother Carl Akin and their families; his beloved children, daughter Kelley Akin (wife Kate), granddaughter Eden and great-granddaughter Harper; daughter Kimberlee Shauman (husband Blake) and granddaughters Lucy and Reyna; and daughter Jennifer Resor (husband Joe).

Nearly ten years ago, Dave and Vicki Goldsmith became life partners. They enjoyed quiet times at home and adventures with family and friends. Vicki’s family embraced him and he will be especially missed as the adored “Opa” to 4-year-old Oscar, who enjoyed assembling train tracks and creating villages out of blocks with him.

Dave contributed his talents to many communities.

He was a familiar sight on Bass River and around Nantucket Sound, whether sailing his Rob Roy, “Sand Castle,” or more recently, his Presto 30, “Cirrus,” which he personally finished building when the boat yard wasn’t up to the task. He received a Life Member Award from America’s Boating Club Cape Cod, a unit of United States Power Squadrons, for volunteer activities including teaching navigation.

A decades-long member of First Parish Brewster, he took pride in singing in the choir and participating in the ManKind Project, youth mentoring, and a range of other activities.

Dave sang and played his Epiphone guitar avidly, providing the soundtrack for afternoons at home and for gatherings of family and friends. In the ’90s Dave pushed himself to overcome his fear of performing in public; and in recent years he was almost always on the roster for David Roth’s local Full Moon Open Mics.

On Wednesdays through the winter he rose at 3:30 a.m. to catch the bus with the Cape Cod Ski Club. At age 77 he left the slopes just a little earlier than he did at 67—to enjoy warming up with a cold beer.

A memorial celebration of his life will be held at First Parish Brewster on Tuesday, June 25, at 1 pm.

The family asks that contributions in honor of Dave’s memory be sent to: First Parish Brewster Endowment Fund, 1 Harwich Road, Brewster, MA 02631, and Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod, 411 Main St. – Suite 6, Yarmouth Port, MA 02675.