Richard Timothy "Tim" Eakin

Tim was preceded in death by his parents Robert Edward Eakin and Esther Aline Eakin, brother Pat Eakin, sister-in-law Mary Eakin and great-nephew Danté Yancey. Tim is survived by his brother Mike Eakin and sister-in-law Jean Eakin, his brother Kelly Eakin and sister-in-law Marla Maeder, his nieces Lieben Eakin, Katy Eakin, Patricia Eakin, Angie Eakin (Andy Lawson), and Cindy Kearse (Mike Kearse), his nephew Dan Eakin, his great-nieces Donna Bonnelle Yancey and Adalynn Kearse, and his great-nephews Donovan Yancey, Lincoln Kearse and Quinn Lawson.

Tim was born in Birmingham, Alabama, on May 25,1942, the first child of Robert and Esther Eakin. In 1943, the family moved to Bethesda, Maryland, where his brother Pat was born in 1944. The family moved back to Austin, Texas in 1946. Tim has been from Austin ever since.

Education and the pursuit of knowledge were central to Tim’s life. Tim went to Mathews Elementary, O. Henry Junior High, Austin High School, and the University of Texas. He entered graduate school at Caltech in the fall of 1963. In the late 1960s he had a post-doctoral position at Stanford University. In 1971, Tim came back to Austin. From 1971 to 2024, Tim worked and studied at the University of Texas. For more than 50 years he would walk to campus to work, study and swim. He started swimming at Gregory Gym in 1948 and last swam there in May 2024.

Tim was a learned scholar across many of the sciences. He earned seven college degrees. He had doctorates in biochemistry and physics. Tim knew a lot about many things. He had an encyclopedic mind and amazing memory, to his last day. He was the family historian, knowing the names, places and the years of birth and death for many generations back. He also knew the birth dates of his nieces, nephew, great-nieces and great-nephews.

Tim liked taking road trips across the United States. He would camp, stay in inexpensive motels and visit friends along the way. He avoided toll roads.

Throughout his life journey, Tim made lasting friendships. A stroke in 2024 necessitated a move to assisted living at The Village at the Triangle. Tim embraced the move as a return to dorm life, making new friends with fellow residents and staff.

Tim was a kind, gentle man. He was a son, a brother, an uncle, a great-uncle and a friend. By and large, Tim was happy and healthy. His family and friends contributed to that good life, and he always remembered them. Now, Tim lives on in our hearts, as we remember him.