Jerry Lee Adkins

Jerry Lee Adkins, 84, passed away on August 14, 2026 at North Care Hospice House. He was born in Kansas City, Missouri on June 23, 1942 and lived in Independence, Missouri the last ten years. Jerry was raised in Kansas City, Kansas and lived in St. Louis, Missouri for several years and worked in Chicago for two years before moving back to the Kansas City area.

Jerry began hanging out at the neighborhood fire station when he was 8 years old and had a lifelong love of the fire department. He retired in 2004 as Chief of Kansas City Missouri Fire Department Communications. Prior to that he was National Sales Manager for Skylight Industries, Inc. and operated Adkins Paralegal and Investigation Services for over 15 years.

He was a member of Eastgate Christian Church, the Sugar Creek Optimist Club, and the Independence 76 Fire Company. His volunteer activities included being chairman of the Independence Missouri Public Utilities Advisory Board for Water, Streets, and Sewers; the Arson Task Force for 15 years; Mediation Facilitation Certification for Clay County Courts; a member of the Kansas City Face Pain Association; the American Red Cross Disaster Action Team; and Director of the Kansas City, Missouri Fire Museum. He also loved ham radios and visiting with the guys in his coffee groups.

Jerry was preceded in death by his parents, Norman and Emmy Jo Adkins. He is survived by his wife, Linda Adkins; daughters Ginger Adkins and Cheryl Haney (Todd); sons Scott Hawley (Jennifer) and Brent Hawley; grandchildren Preston Haney, Quentin Edwards, Ian Edwards, Savannah Haney, and Kahlan Hawley; sisters JoAnn Larson (David), Jeanne Sumner, and Jackie Wilson (Ted); and many nieces and nephews.

Jerry graduated from Argentine High School in 1963, had a BA in History and Political Science from Doane College, and Masters of Divinity from Eden Seminary. Jerry was a true Servant Leader before Seminary and at Seminary it was his signed Covenant with God. Until he became too ill, he acted on his Covenant every day in small and large ways. It was his silent Covenant with God.

Jerry had shingles in 2004 that damaged his Trigeminal Nerve (TN) which left him with chronic pain in his head, face, and eye called Post Herpetic Neuralgia (PHN). If you have not gotten the Shingles shots please rethink that decision.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Independence 76 Fire Company, 220 N. Lynn, Independence, Missouri.