Richard Kelly Akin was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on October 18,1944. At the age of 9 months, he was adopted by Wilburn and Helen Akin. The family moved to Shreveport, Louisiana. His Dad was an accountant for Arkansas Louisiana Gas and Helen was a homemaker. These wonderful parents made sure that Richard was raised Catholic and received a quality education at St. John’s grade school and Jesuit High School. He participated in swimming and football and graduated from high school in 1962. After graduation he moved to New Orleans to attend Loyola University. In 1967, he married the love of his life, Joan Nina Tipery and had two wonderful children, Richard Tipery Akin, DDS, MD of Baton Rouge and Kelly Susan Gilley of Sandy Springs, Georgia. His children’s spouses, Bridget Stampley and Matthew Gilley are remarkable parents and life partners. His children have blessed Richard and Joan with 6 grandchildren, Sarah, Julia, Rich, Jason, Tyler and Anna. He received his college education at Loyola in New Orleans and Centenary College in Shreveport. He graduated from Loyola Dental School in 1968. He received his Oral Surgery training at Charity Hospital and obtained his oral and maxillofacial surgery certificate in 1971. After graduation at age 26 he was fortunate to practice in Algiers, Louisiana and Bay St. Louis, Mississippi until a week before his death. He was honored to be on the staff of Ochsner Hospital and Clinic for 26 years. He was a Clinical Associate Professor at LSU Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery his entire professional life. He has always loved dentistry, privileged to care for his patients and having the opportunity of working with many very dedicated physicians and dentists. He belonged to numerous dental and oral and maxillofacial surgery organizations and was devoted to his family and oral surgery his entire life. He was entering his 47th year of private practice.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend a funeral mass on Tuesday, July 3, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. at Saint Catherine of Siena Catholic Church, 105 Bonnabel Boulevard, Metairie, Louisiana.
Visitation will begin at 10:30 a.m.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Jack Kent Oral Maxillofacial Surgery Foundation, 2003 Forsythe Avenue, Monroe, Louisiana 71201, 318-388-2621.
