Joseph Wade Eakins

Joseph Wade Eakins passed away on June 2, 2026, at his home in St. Charles, Missouri, at the age of 71. He was born on March 5, 1955, in St. Louis, Missouri, the son of the late Jennie (Pona) Eakins and Paul Wade Eakins. Joe grew up in South St. Louis with his siblings, Dorothy Eakins, Paulette (Eakins) Aschoff, Anthony Eakins, and his dear sister, Virginia (Eakins) McCracken, where he attended Southwest High School. Joe dedicated himself to serving our country by enlisting in the Army where he traveled, started a family, and received a National Defense Service Medal as an Air Defense Artillery NCO Specialist 4. After being discharged from the Army, Joe moved to Texas where he made many significant relationships and impacted many of the people he came into contact with. For a time, he operated his own brick-laying business, J & J Masonry, with his brother-in-law, Jerry McCracken. He was a technofile and particularly enjoyed his job at Campbell Memorial Hospital in Weatherford, Texas, where he was a computer tech and data entry specialist. Joe will be remembered as a kid at heart, a jokester who loved to laugh and make others laugh. He loved riding Harleys and listening to music – especially Pink Floyd – and he enjoyed playing the guitar. He was a particularly beloved character around the holidays as he would put on his red suit and become Santa Claus. He loved seeing the smiles on all the kids' faces and all of the magic and wonder that came with being Santa. Joe loved his family and friends deeply no matter the distance, and he will be terribly missed by all those who knew him. He is survived by his four children: Jason Joseph Eakins and fiance Rebecca Gault, Benjamin Lee Eakins and wife Brina, Mary Elizabeth (Eakins) Bullis and husband Christopher Bullis, and Aaron Justin Eakins and wife Christina. Also surviving are his beloved sisters: Paulette (Eakins) Aschoff and Virginia (Eakins) McCracken, seven grandchildren who were his pride and joy: Deavon and wife Bayle, Justin, Elizabeth, Hayden, Kaitlyn, Natalie, and Madelyn, and a number of beloved nieces, great nieces, nephews, and great nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Jennie (Pona) Eakins, his sister, Dorothy Eakins, and his brother Anthony Eakins. A Celebration of Life will be held in honor of Joe's life on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, beginning at 7:00 pm from the Cole Family Funeral Home in Ironton, MO. A Visitation for friends and family to gather will be held on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, beginning at 5:00 pm and lasting until the time of service at the Cole Family Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to help with funeral expenses to spot.fund/SantaJoe

Joseph Wade Eakins

March 5, 1955 - June 2, 2026