Dennis Akin

Dennis P. Akin was born on June 7, 1930, and peacefully passed at home on July 12, 2025, at the glorious age of 95. He was a retired professor of the Fine Arts at Dickinson College. He was predeceased by his parents, George H. Akin and Opal E. Tripp Akin, as well as his two siblings, Michael and Nancy.

Dennis was an artist his entire life. During his teaching career, he taught Fine Arts as a language. He was praised by his students for this approach and was awarded the Lindback Award for distinguished teaching. Upon his retirement in 1992, he was given the Ganoe Award for inspirational teaching. His students gave him a standing ovation as they graduated.

His interest in art as a career began while taking courses at the Kansas City Art Institute on a Fireside Scholarship. It was sidelined in 1950 during the Korean War. He enlisted in the Navy, serving as a radar man on the Destroyer USS Buck (DD-761), earning five battle stars. As the war fizzled out, he sought the degrees necessary for teaching at the college level. He graduated with a BFA from the University of Kansas and an MFA from the University of Colorado.

In 1955, Dennis met Marjorie J. Pennington in a painting and drawing class at K.U. As imaginative artists, they had similar interests, were married, and were companions for 68 years, living full, committed, creative lives.

He and Marjorie completed post-graduate work at the Rijksakademie van Beelden Kunsten in the Netherlands. He also trained under David Chihuly at the Pilchuck School for Glass.

In 1958, he accepted a teaching position at Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas, where he was a “one-man department.” He thrived and was given the student council award for teaching excellence, leading to his induction into Southwestern’s Hall of Fame in 2010. However, the variety of courses and the hundreds of students each semester were exhausting. So, in 1967, he accepted the position as art editor of motive Magazine, an innovative publication of The Board of Higher Education of the United Methodist Church in Nashville, TN. He wrote articles about artists from around the world and invited them to have their creations published in motive Magazine. Among the artists he met were Peter Milton, Don Weygandt, Mauricio Lazansky, and Tom Coleman.

His desire to return to the classroom led to a 23-year teaching position at Dickinson College from 1969 until his retirement in 1992. At Dickinson, he taught and honed his abilities as a creative artist. He painted the official portrait of A. Lee Fritschler, past Dickinson President. And he created 26 stained glass windows, which are installed throughout the campus. He has donated other paintings to Dickinson’s Library and the Cumberland County Historical Society. With the help of the Carlisle Arts Learning Center, his paintings can be seen on YouTube under the heading “Dennis Akin explains his art.”

Professor Akin’s Teaching and creating in the Fine Arts have given him many satisfactions and rewards. None, however, were equal to the pride he and Marjorie shared in their beloved children, Christopher and Lilian. Each has had a remarkable career: Christopher worked for 31 years as an aircraft mechanic for American Airlines, and Lilian works as an attorney in child welfare.

His family wishes to thank the wonderful and supportive caregivers from Residential Home Health and Hospice Care. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in his honor to the Carlisle Area Arts Learning Center.

Burial will be private and at the discretion of the family. A celebration of life will be announced at a later date.