Richard Walker (Dick) Eakin

A Celebration of Life service for Richard Walker (Dick) Eakin, 79, West Plains, Missouri, will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, March 25, at the Langston Street Chapel of Robertson-Drago Funeral Home.

Mr. Eakin passed away at 8:30 a.m., Tuesday, March 14, 2023, at his home.

He was born July 16, 1943, at Nettleton, Arkansas, to Woodrow "Walker" Eakin and Genevee Jane Luna Eakin. On February 22, 1964, he was married to Barbara Jean Montgomery at the General Baptist Church in Willow Springs, Missouri. He was of the Christian faith. Mr. Eakin was a veteran, having served with the United States Navy from 1961-1965 on the USS Hancock stationed out of Oakland, California. He attended Southwest Missouri State University Residence Center on the GI Bill from 1971 to 1976. He began a 45-year career at E.A. Martin Machinery Company (Caterpillar)/Fabick CAT of West Plains. He worked as Parts Man, Parts Manager, Store Manager, Product Support Sales Representative, and was Territory Manager at the time of his retirement in 2010. In 2013, he began serving Senate District 33 as Missouri Senate District Coordinator under former Senator Mike Cunningham and continued on staff with Senator Karla Eslinger until December 2022. Mr. Eakin was a member of the Greater West Plains Area Chamber of Commerce and board member for South Central Ozark Council of Government (SCOCOG) and South Central Solid Waste Management District. He began playing golf with his dad at an early age and was a member of the West Plains High School Golf Team. Over the years, he played in many tournaments, and one of the highlights was winning the City of West Plains Golf Championship in 1999. He continued to play and love the game throughout his life, most recently with his Golf Gang at North Terra Golf Course. He also spent many years camping, boating, and skiing on Norfork Lake with a close-knit group of West Plains families who set up summer residence at Gamaliel, Arkansas. He and his wife enjoyed trips to Las Vegas, Mexico, Jamaica, and going to Mountain View, Arkansas, music festivals.

He is survived by his wife of fifty-nine years, Barbara, and his beloved Yorkies, Zoey and Sadie, of the family home; children, Melissa Jayne Jett and husband, Mark, Sarah Ann Jolliff and husband, Mark; grandchildren, Dr. Levi Jett and wife, Leslie, and Lauryn Jett of Springfield, Missouri, Joshua Jolliff and significant other, Karleen Blue of Augusta, Georgia, Bailee Jolliff Kelly and husband, Wade, and Tristan Jolliff of West Plains; great grandchildren, Alexia, Keeley, Gavin, and Raylan Jolliff, Lincoln and Madden Jett; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Pat and Johnny Wake of Willow Springs, Missouri; cousin Barbara Alsup; several nieces and nephews; and special friends Mark Collins, County Commissioners, his Golf Gang, and the crew at the Howell County Office Building.

His parents, brothers, Jay and Billy, parents-in-law Reverend Gerald and Flora Lee Smith Montgomery, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Steve and Phyllis Riley Montgomery, and grandson, Anthony Jolliff, preceded him in death. 

Memorial contributions may be to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital and may be left at or mailed to Robertson-Drago Funeral Home, 211 West Main, West Plains, MO 65775. Online condolences may be expressed at www.RobertsonDrago.com.