September 22, 1939 - December 6, 2022
Samuel Stephen Adkins
“Steve”
Age 83 of Lakeville, MN, passed away on December 6, 2022 of prostate cancer; preceded in death by his parents Lucile and Samuel Adkins, Paxton, Illinois and stepfather Max Eckert, Valley, Nebraska; son Doug, Maple Grove, Minnesota; grandson Sean, Ottumwa, Iowa; survived by his wife Judy and two children Laura (Stan), Ottumwa Iowa, and Vicki (John), Prior Lake Minn., sister Elaine (David) Lozier, Lynden Washington and many grandchildren, great grand children and relatives.
Steve was born in 1939 in Omaha, Nebraska. He graduated from North High School in Omaha, received a BS in Electrical Engineering from Iowa State University and a Master’s Degree in Business from the University of St. Thomas.
He worked 36 yrs for Control Data nee Ceridian and at the time of his early retirement, he was the 7th most tenured employee, serving 10 yrs as an executive. Most of his career was in program management, delivering complex computer systems to major Government and DoD laboratories.
He created and conducted a press event with Chairman and founder William C. Norris wherein the Control Data Star 100 computer set a Guinness World Book record for the fastest computer and served one yr as field representative to the Navy on the most dangerous weapon ever created, the Polaris nuclear submarine. He helped build and install the first production digital computer fire control system at the submarine yards in Groton, Connecticut.
He was active in community affairs, serving on a board for the Washington High School Aviation Magnate and an advisory board for the Computer Science Dept. at the University of Minnesota. Steve was also vice president in two aviation organizations: Experimental Soaring Association and EAA Chapter 25 of the Experimental Aircraft Association. An active power pilot and sailplane pilot who also enjoyed sailing his iceboat in winter.
Steve was an early pioneer in the World Wide Web, delivering one of the initial products to the Army and later developing two websites that enjoyed worldwide activity in the aviation community.
Steve and Judy enjoyed sharing retirement years traveling and supporting local performing arts activities; also successfully writing grants for Judy’s choral group, Velvet Tones. He will be sorely missed.
Service details to be determined.
My dear cousin. Grew up in Omaha with him although I was 8 years younger. Tom Adkins.
I both liked and admired Steve, he was a doer. He owned a small boat with my parents, gave airplane rides for a penny-a-pound at our family’s ice cream social and he built the “Stevarino” buzzer for our church youth camps. This was a box with team thumb switches, a loud buzzer and a Nixie tube to display the number of the winning team. It was so cool. These are just some the things I remember. What a fun and interesting person. I’m thankful to have known him. He clearly had a heart for others.
Some of my favorite memories are of Steve taking me and his family swimming and camping, fishing in his canoe and riding in his airplane. The smartest guy I ever knew.
Goodbye Uncle Steve.
Dear Judy, I am so sad to get the mail today and see the notice of Steve’s passing. We are sorry for your terrible loss and will be praying for God’s comfort for you and all the family and friends.