David Leon Adkins, 78, of Topeka, KS, lost his battle with cancer and gained his eternal life with his Savior, Jesus Christ, on Friday, December 12, 2025.
Born on December 7, 1947, in Concordia, KS, to Ralph Otis and Katherine Leona (Gustafson) Adkins, David grew up in Delphos, Kansas, attending Delphos schools until his senior year of high school, when the family moved to Jacksonville, Arkansas. He graduated from Jacksonville High School, and then returned to Kansas to earn his bachelor’s degree in Agriculture from Kansas State University in 1970. In September of that year, he married his college sweetheart, Susan Brown, in Hutchinson. He and Susan had two children, Stephanie and Eric, and resided in Holton, KS.
David’s professional career began when he was appointed Vice President of Talmage State Bank in Talmage, KS. He then purchased a private insurance agency in Holton, which he named the Adkins Insurance Agency. He served the Holton community as the agency’s owner and operator for nearly 30 years until selling it upon his retirement in 1993. However, he did not stay retired long. He soon embarked on a new career, accepting a position with the U.S. Postal Service as a rural letter carrier in the Holton area. He very much enjoyed that work for many years, staying active in the community and developing friendships with those along his routes. He also assisted with training for other letter carriers in the area. He retired from the postal service in September of 2019.
In addition to his professional pursuits, he had numerous personal hobbies and interests. He had a lifelong love of farming, and from his early years in Delphos until after his retirement, he continued to maintain farmland wherever he lived. He was also an avid fisherman who always looked forward to his yearly fishing trips to Canada with a group of friends. He rarely came home from those trips without good stories to share. Fishing with his son was one of his favorite things to do, and he had many great memories of the time they spent together on the water.
David was known for his adventurous, competitive spirit. As a proud K-State alumnus, he playfully harassed his friends and family who were fans of KU whenever his team beat theirs in any sporting event. He would call his daughter and sing the K-State fight song to her on such days, even while she was a student at KU. He was a faithful viewer of “The Price is Right,” enthusiastically trying to beat the televised contestants to the correct answer from his armchair at home. He loved to watch football and baseball with his son and he would loudly cheer on his favorite teams, whether or not they were winning. For a long time, he also enjoyed trying to beat his family at board games every Sunday afternoon at his daughter’s house before settling in for a long nap in the recliner. His loved ones think his favorite game of all may have been the annual Chicken Fried Steak Adventures, where family members would spend his birthday taking him to various cities - sometimes in other states - looking for the place that he would declare had perfectly prepared his favorite dish.
Sharing his time and talents was something David very much enjoyed. He was always quite fond of working with his hands, and loved fixing and building things with his son, as well as successfully tackling building projects throughout the years with others, from home improvements to helping to construct a new building for his church. A man of great faith, he was amongst the first members there, serving in different positions, including as a board member and treasurer. He regularly participated in and led various prayer and Bible study groups. He was a voracious reader and researcher, and enjoyed engaging in spirited conversations on just about any topic.
David cherished his role as a grandfather. Tyler and Zachary remember that he was always there for every event while they were growing up, whether they were playing a sport, performing in a play, or participating in a concert. He even cheerfully attended their grade school violin concerts. He let them know that he was very proud of them, and they will miss him dearly.
David is survived by his daughter, Stephanie (Jeff) Brown, and son Eric, and grandsons Tyler and Zachary Brown, all of Topeka. He is also survived by a sister, Barbara (Joe) Davis, and brothers Max (Susan) Adkins, Dan (Judy) Adkins, and Don (Remy, deceased) Adkins, as well as many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother, Gary Adkins.
Visitation with friends and family will take place on Thursday, December 18, from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home, 524 Pennsylvania Avenue, Holton, KS.
A memorial service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Friday, December 19, at Family Life Church of the Nazarene, 1211 NW 46th Street, in Topeka.
David’s final resting place will be in the Holton Cemetery.
Memorial contributions may be made to Family Life Church of the Nazarene, 1211 NW 46th Street, Topeka, KS, 66618.
