Travis Lavanda Akins

One of Travis’s great joys was at Foley High School as a guitar player and singer in the band “The Legends”. After high school, Travis served his country in the US Air Force Intelligence as a North Vietnamese linguist. He worked 31 years with the US Postal Service while married and raising two children. During those 31 years, he became an avid fly fisherman. He tied and sold flies, and became a member of the Federation of Fly Fishers. He volunteered as a fly fishing instructor at Pensacola Junior College for 12 years.

Travis served on the State Board of Directors for the Florida Conservation Association for 6 years, during which time they passed the Florida Net Ban Amendment. After retirement and a divorce, Travis worked his seasonal dream job for 10 years in Yellowstone National Park. He ran the Lake Lodge Gift Shop where he influenced many young people from around the world as they worked, lived and enjoyed the summer and even winters in Yellowstone. There he met the love of his live, Stella, and was married in the Sunroom of the Lake Hotel. Before Parkinson’s took it’s toll, Travis and his wife traveled the US following the weather before settling in Pensacola.

Travis is survived by his wife, Stella; ex-wife, Kathleen; son, Mark; daughter, Laura (husband, Sean Norwood); grandson, Sebastian; sister, Brenda; and many wonderful nephews and nieces, great nephews and great nieces, great great nephews and great great nieces.

A get together will be held at Eastern Gate Memorial Funeral Home, 1985 West Nine Mile Road, Pensacola, Florida on Monday, January 19, 2026 at 11am to celebrate his life. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Yellowstone Forever.