Anthony “Tony” Lavaughn Adkinson was born on September 8 th , 1946 in Ozark Alabama to Nellie Hartzog and Lavaughn Adkinson. Tony spent the majority of his childhood growing up in Troy Alabama where he attended grade school through High School and then College at Troy State University. It was at TSU that he met the love of his life, Mary Leellen “Lee” Hubbard of Montgomery, AL and they were married on December 31 st , 1965 in Montgomery, AL just prior to his leaving for Army flight school.
Due to the Vietnam draft, Tony was part of a unique group of Vietnam Army aviators who were enlisted as Warrant Officers. While this was a unique enough situation, Tony went on to be dual rated in both fixed wing aircraft as well as helicopters and was an instructor pilot, examiner, and S.I.P for both. At the time of his retirement, he was a CW4 Master Aviator, which was the highest rank at that time! His time as an Army Aviator was fraught with danger yet, Tony’s faith in God was established at a young age and he often attributed his many “near misses” with death to the protection of his God and Savior.
Tony and Lee had two children: Kristi Michelle (in 1970) and Charles “Chuck” Anthony (in 1974). Lee was fiercely tenacious when it came to following Tony anywhere the Army took him…even to places like Tehran, Iran; Izmir, Turkey;
Germany, Italy and back and forth across the United States many, many times!
In 1984, while stationed in Izmir Turkey, Tony went into complete pancreatic failure due to agent orange exposure in Vietnam and was grounded from flying…which was devastating! At that point he was given a choice of military branches, and he chose Army combat engineering and was stationed first a Ft Leonard Wood, MO then at Ft Lewis, WA.
It was at Ft Lewis that he had planned to retire until he received a call from the Joint Chief’s of Staff to come to Washington DC (THE ONE PLACE HE SWORE HE NEVER WANTED TO GO!) It was at that meeting that he was offered the greatest honor of his military career…to take over as the Caisson Platoon Leader for the 3 rd US INFANTRY stationed at Arlington Cemetery. It was an offer he couldn’t refuse and over the next 7 years he was involved with over 4000 full honors funerals and 2 inaugurations!
Tony was a devoted/loving husband and father, avid hunter and fisherman, had a veracious appetite for reading and was actively involved in the Baptist church as a deacon, usher, and often shared his faith with anyone he could.
Tony is survived by his wife Lee Adkinson; daughter Kristi Kearl and son-in-law Travis Kearl; son Chuck Adkinson; Grandson Troy Underwood and Granddaughter-in-law Shannon Underwood and Step Grandson Micah Lauck.
Tony is proceeded in death by his father Lavaughn Adkinson; mother Nellie Adkinson; Father-in-Law William Hubbard; Mother-in-Law Altoona Hubbard; Uncle Gerald Mitchell; Aunt Betty Mitchell and Son-in-law Brian Lauck.
A memorial service will be held 11:00 am, Thursday, December 7, 2023 at Bowman Funeral Parlor, 10254 W. Carlton Bay Dr., Garden City.