Adele Akin Anderson of Franklin passed away Wednesday, July 3, 2024.
Adele was born on March 19, 1954, in Jamestown, New York, the daughter of Clayton Akin and Melba Ritchie.
She was a 1971 graduate of Wilton High School where she was active in drama and choir, achieving membership in the Connecticut All-State Chorus. After high school, she attended Fredonia State University before enlisting in the military.
Adele proudly served in the U.S. Army for 3 years. During her time in Germany, she was attached to the Entertainment Showcase where she sang, danced and provided comic relief, touring and performing for NATO military and civilian audiences. While with the Showcase, she met her husband, Bob Anderson. Adele and Bob were married on December 28, 1975, in Greenwich, Connecticut, at the Daycroft School Chapel.
On her return stateside, she pursued her passion for theater by attending the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in New York, graduating in 1978. She and Bob moved to Frewsburg, NY, where they started a family. Both of her children were born in nearby Jamestown at WCA hospital where she had been born. Adele’s dive into this new role of motherhood was the most treasured role of her life. At the same time, she enjoyed performing with her husband as a lead singer in the Southern Tier Express, a country band they formed, playing in Western New York and Pennsylvania. At the Jamestown Little Theater, Adele joined her mother onstage in I Ought to be in Pictures. As if she wasn’t already busy enough, she also earned an Associate of Arts degree from Jamestown Community College.
In 1983 Adele and family moved to Nashville where she was a devoted and highly engaged member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Nashville. She was soloist for many years, and served terms as Music Committee Chair, newsletter editor, Sunday School Teacher, First and Second Reader and member of the Executive Board and Chairman of the Board.
Adele was an accomplished actress in Middle Tennessee theater. She performed regularly with many groups in many venues including Circle Players, Jewish Community Center, World’s End, Street Theater, Boiler Room, Groundworks, Nashville Dinner (Keeton) Theater, Act 1, Lakewood Theater, Poverty Playhouse, Towne Center, Pull Tight, Tennessee Women’s Project, Looby Center, and many others. Among her favorite roles was Martha in Arsenic and Old Lace, Gooch in Mame, and Ms. Lynch, Miss Hannigan, Sister Amnesia…she cherished every character and every new friendship.
For many years Adele served as Executive Director of the Tennessee Board of Bar Examiners. After retirement from state service, she continued to pursue her education receiving a B.A. in Theater Arts from Thomas A. Edison State College. She worked at Diversified Trust until her full retirement in 2020.
She is survived by her husband of 48 years, Robert Anderson; son, Seth (Annie); daughter, Geneva (Paul) Scurek; four grandchildren, Sophia Anderson, Harley Scurek, Georgia Scurek and Anderson Scurek; sister, Linda Kaye; brother, Daniel (Inara) Akin; brother, Raymond (Jane) Akin; half-sister, Caryn (Brian) Davis; half-brother, Brad (Courtney) Akin; step-mother, Carol Bradshaw Akin; 6 nieces and 9 nephews. Adele was preceded in death by her parents and her daughter-in-law, Mary Rowe Anderson.
A memorial service and celebration of life will be held at 1 pm, Sunday, August 4, 2024, at the Mockingbird Theater (formerly the Boiler Room) at The Factory in Franklin, Tennessee.
Information for the link live streaming of the service/celebration will be provided here on this site as soon as it is available. https://www.alternativecremationandfuneralservice.com
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: The Daycroft School Foundation
(https://www.daycroftschool.org/support-daycroft/) or the charity of your choice.
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