Edward Ray Elkins

Edward Ray Elkins - known to many as Mr. Ed, Eddie Ray or Poppy - passed away peacefully on January 21, 2026 in Akron, Ohio. He was born on the Fourth of July in 1952 in St. Charles, Illinois, to Wallace and Geraldine Elkins.

Ed lived a life that took him from Illinois to Texas, Oklahoma, Kentucky and finally to Medina, Ohio, where he made his home for almost 30 years. Throughout all those miles, he remained the same man: a friend to all, a tinkerer at heart, and someone who could fix just about anything through the art of "Elkinizing" - his unique ability to solve problems by fastening unusual things together until they worked.

He found joy in the simple things: wood working, coin collecting, watching the birds gather at his feeders, making jokes and settling in for a good old Western. Most of all, he found joy in the people around him.

Ed is survived by his wife of 43 years, Carol; his children, Jeff (Kerri), Jamie (Orion), and Jason (Lexy); his grandchildren Tony (Sydney), Jake, Ella, Ava, and Leo; and his sister Lorena Stearns. He was preceded in death by his parents and his siblings Keith, Chris, Gene, Herb, Paul, Ruby, Evelyn, and Bonnie.

Ed was very loved, and that love will continue in all the lives he touched.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in his honor to the charity of your choice.

A memorial service will be held to celebrate his life at a later date.