Arlington Hooper Adkins

CAMBRIDGE- Arlington Hooper Adkins, 92, of Cambridge passed away on Sunday, Oct. 21, 2007, at Chesapeake Woods Center.

He was born on Jan. 18, 1915, in Cedar Grove, near East New Market. Mr. Adkins was the son of Samuel Hooper Adkins, who drowned on Jan. 14, 1924, and Mary Frances Lankford Adkins who passed away on April 2, 1979.

Mr. Adkins attended school in Dorchester County. He was drafted in WWII and sworn into the Army on VE Day. He used to joke, "As far as I know, I'm still in the Army."

He lived in Cambridge after his father's death, and after his marriage for many years on Goldsborough Avenue, then moved to the Log Cabin at Cook's Point, and later resided for more than 20 years on Hudson Wharf Road. He enjoyed gardening, fishing and water sports, and doing engine repairs for neighbors and friends.

He was interested and involved in power boat racing from the late 1930s to the mid-1950s and built engines for several local racing champions, including W. Earle Orem, Jr., Ed Nabb, Sr., Lou Barrett, Fulton Moore and Elwood Pleiscott, Sr.

As a young man, he worked for Seymour Ewell as a general mechanic from the age of 14, continued at the Studebaker dealership, the Kaiser-Fraiser dealership, worked on farm equipment for Farmer's Supply on Dorchester Avenue, and ended his career as chief mechanic for the City of Cambridge.

He is survived by one daughter, Arline Chase, of Cambridge, son-in-law Roger W. Chase, grandson Roger David Chase and his wife Shelley Rodgerson Chase of Hudson, and grandson Sidney Richard Chase, of Vienna; three sisters, Pauline Adkins (Mrs. Bertsal) Bradford, of Cambridge, Luella Adkins (Mrs. William Herbert) Dail, of Hudson, and Mary Frances Adkins (Mrs. Irving) Wingate of Deerfield Beach, FL, and by many nieces and nephews, neighbors and friends. In addition to his parents and wife, he was preceded in death by two brothers, Samuel Calvin Adkins, and William Adkins, and five sisters, Rita Adkins (a twin to Luella, who died at birth) Lillie Adkins (Mrs. Scott) Willey, Katharine "Katie" Adkins (Mrs. Harley) Langrall, and later (Mrs. Nelson) Hubbard, Roberta "Bertie" Adkins (Mrs. Otis, Sr.) LeCompte, and later (Mrs. John) Barnes and Agnes Adkins.

Pallbearers will be Mark Wilson, John Buchanan, Jr., Richard Foxwell and Ron Wolfe.

A funeral service will be held 1 p.m. Wednesday at Thomas Funeral Home, P.A. in Cambridge with Rev. Pam Bocakart officiting. A visitation will be one hour prior to the service. Burial will follow at Seward Spedden Cemetery.