Jane Johnston Akins' Obituary
Longview arts pioneer and founder of many of Longview’s art institutions, Jane Johnston Akins, 96, passed away at her home in Longview early Friday morning, June 5, 2026. Memorial services will be held at 12 noon on Monday, June 15, 2026, at First United Methodist Church, Longview, Texas, with Reverend Jay Jackson officiating. Reception will follow at the new Longview Museum of Fine Arts, 213 North Fredonia in downtown Longview, a block from First Methodist Church. The family will receive friends Sunday, June 14, 2026 from 2-4 pm in the Chapel of Rader Funeral Home of Longview.
Mrs. Akins was born November 28, 1929 in Dallas, Texas to Russell Weeks and Virginia Andrews. Russell died 18 months later, in the depths of the Great Depression, and Virginia (‘Mimi’) was suddenly a young widow with two baby girls, Jane and Anne. Mimi’s sister Lillian Dalston ran a boarding house, the Magnolia Hotel, in downtown Longview, and called Mimi and said, ‘There’s an oil boom here! Money to be made! Bring those baby girls and move in with me!’ They immediately moved to Longview in 1931 to take advantage of the prosperity flowing into Longview via the East Texas oil boom. Jane’s cousin Mildred (Deane) would choregraph and direct little ‘shows’ in which Anne would sing and Jane would dance, and they would entertain the boarders at mealtimes. Mimi, a professional musician, became a court reporter and introduced her girls to the arts with weekly song and dance classes. Anne became a singer, and Jane became an arts patron (in addition to being an excellent dancer) They were best friends all of their lives.
Jane was greatly raised by her Grandmother Laura Seay Andrews, ‘Mama Laura’, widow of the Reverend W.F. Andrews, “Papa Andrews’, who had been minister at 1st Methodist church in Longview, Marvin Methodist in Tyler, etc. Mama Laura and Jane even shared a bed in the early years at the boarding houses. She instilled in Jane a deep and abiding Christian faith, which was the foundation of her life. Since Jane grew up without a Father, Mama Laura taught her that God was her Father, and for the rest of her life, Jane always called God, ‘Father’, in her prayers.
In 1946, Jane graduated from Longview High School, where she was very active as a class officer, Spirit of LHS, and Princess in the LHS Coronation. It was at LHS where Jane met Glenn Johnston, a shy, sweet, handsome athlete. They subsequently attended SMU together, where Jane became a lifelong Kappa Kappa Gamma, and married in 1949.
Glenn was the first love of her life.
Jane and Glenn moved back to Longview, where Glenn joined his family’s oil and gas firm, and Jane had three children: Janet in 1953, Edgar in 1955, and Jenny in 1960.
The Johnston’s in Longview were a large, earthy, loving, and welcoming family and Jane’s kids grew up with many cousins to play with. During the 1950’s Jane began to put her energy into bringing the arts to Longview. She lassoed together members of the Jr. Service League and spearheaded the founding of the Longview Museum of Fine Arts in 1958. It was her dream, her brainchild, and her passion.
In the 1960’s, Jane co-founded the Longview Community Theater in 1965. She also sang and acted in several of their shows. She also performed in The Red Stocking reviews and Lions Club musicals.
In the 1960’s, Jane came up with the idea of ‘the picture ladies’, women from the Junior Service League who went into the public schools with copies of famous works of Western art and introduced the visual arts to Longview school kids.
Jane was President of the Jr. League in 1968.
Jane hosted endless fund raisers for all local arts organizations at her and Glenn’s home. She was a sponsor of Longview Civic Music, and was a lifelong patron of the Longview Ballet Theater, where her daughter Jenny was one of the founding members.
Jane exposed her children to the arts with regular trips to Dallas to see the Dallas Summer Musicals, plays, ballet, art museums, etc. Her love of the arts deeply influenced her children. Janet was a beautiful singer, guitarist, and gifted schoolteacher. Jenny was a ballet dancer and has taught ballet in Dallas for decades. Edgar became a film maker first in Dallas, and then LA.
Jane also taught Sunday school for the high school seniors at First Methodist Church for decades.
After a long, happy marriage, Jane’s husband Glenn died young in 1980. Jane decided to venture alone into the oil/gas business, a world she knew nothing about. She found two great mentors in Guy Lamb and Doug Moore, and with their guidance she became very successful as a single woman in what was very much a man’s world in the 1980’s. She had her favorite Bible verse taped to her office desk: Proverbs 3:5-6. It always gave her strength as she ventured forth into unknown territory.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart. And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and he shall make your paths straight.”
Jane was always curious, an explorer. She took her Mother and sister Anne on many adventures throughout Europe. She loved to travel and experience new cultures.
She was also a voracious reader, exploring new worlds on the written page, especially spiritual books.
Then, in 1996, Jane married the 2nd love of her life, Hubert Akins, a kind, dapper gentleman who shared Jane’s love of dance. They joined a local dance club, and danced their way through cruises, trips to Europe, and throughout America in what was a very happy marriage that lasted until Hubert’s death two years ago.
Jane lived a full and happy life, defined by adventure, challenges, family, art, and spirit. In her later years, she loved spending time in her garden raising beautiful roses. She particularly loved babies….all babies! She was a pragmatic artist, a doer, a patient listener, an introspective extrovert, and a wise old soul whose faith guided her in all decisions. Her curiosity, and love of family, nature, art, and her deep faith remained until the end. She continued to live by the words Proverbs 3:5-6 until her passing.
Survivors include her daughter Janet Johnston Day and her husband Joe Day of Houston, her son Edgar Johnston of Los Angeles, California, and her daughter Jenny Johnston of Dallas, her granddaughter Jenny Elizabeth Amalfi and her husband Patrick of Houston, her granddaughter Mary Catherine Wolfe and her husband Randy of Chicago, Illinois; her great grandson Cole Amalfi of Houston, great grand daughter Kate Amalfi of Houston, great grand daughter Anna Jane Amalfi of Houston; her niece Wendy Jane Welch and husband Willy of Great Barrington, Mass., her nephew Michael Glenn Jackson of New York City, her great niece Teak Welch of Great Barrington, and her great nephew Grady James Welch and wife Kelly of Milton, Vermont, nieces Gayle Johnston Parker, Kathy Johnston Jackson, Elaine Johnston Kauffman, Decie Johnston Brookshire, and Beth Johnston Ylitalo, and nephews Clay Johnston, Mark Johnston, and Kent Johnston. Jane is also survived by Hubert’s family: His daughter Celia Elkins and husband David, grand daughter Lindsey Crenshaw and husband Jerry, great grandson Jack Crenshaw, step daughter Kim Akins, grand daughter Alison White and husband Landon and children Callan White and Caroline White, grand sons Brad Akins and Brent Akins and wife Ashley, great grand children Tenley, Ace, and Arey Akins, grand daughter Courtney Ramsey and husband Allen, her assistant Nancy Jones, her housekeeper Dell Green, as well as many cousins and family members spread out all over the country.
The family extends heartfelt gratitude to Jane’s incredibly loving and dedicated caregivers: Melissa Durr, Liz McCarty, Rosie Sebron, Betty Holland, Cean Tillerson, Nelda Jackson and former caregivers Shammy Childress and Shonna Newsome.
Memorials may be made to the Longview Museum of Fine Arts (LMFA) and the First United Methodist Church in Longview.
What’s your fondest memory of Jane?
What’s a lesson you learned from Jane?
Share a story where Jane's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Jane you’ll never forget.
How did Jane make you smile?
