Pamela Eakins

Pamela Eakins, aka Pam or Pammie as her siblings so fondly referred to her, was born on August 14, 1955, in Cincinnati, Ohio to the late Percy Kirkland, Sr. and Janie Ellis. Pam was the oldest of four siblings born from this union. However, she is survived by five heartbroken siblings: Kim D. Kirkland, Percy Kirkland, Jr., Sonya R. Kirkland, Willie D. Ellis and Sara Ann Harris who will forever cherish her memory.

Pam spent her entire life in the greater Cincinnati area and graduated from Courter Tech-nical High School in 1974, where she majored in Cooking/Food Production. Her love language was desserts — the most uncommon assortment of sweets (Milky Way Cake, Sweet Potato Cheesecake, Chess Pie, Dirt Cake, Banana Pudding, Zucchini Bread). Pam also made and bottled her own seasoning (Eakins Seasoning) and made the most delicious lasagna, pasta salad and a mean slide off the bone so tender “savory fried pork chop’’. Typical Pam, she would always deny our requests for her meals, then would comply and fix our favorites while basking in the compliments as we chowed down.

After high school, Pam joined the U.S. Army, completed basic training, decided it wasn’t her forte’ and finished her two-year stint in the reserves. Shortly thereafter, Pam went to work alongside our mother at Kenner Products, an iconic toy company, where she eventuallyare all so happy that Pam had the opportunity to be here and share the first 7½ months of Jade’s life with her.

Pam was diagnosed in May 2025 with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer with a spot also on her liver. Recognizing chemotherapy was not a cure, but a slowdown, Pam, like our mother, was determined to stay the course and fight to the end. Her fight was not long; sudden cardiac arrest allowed her to spread her wings, fly away and join our parents, grandparents and a host of family and friends without the agonizing and painful process of transitioning. While we were unprepared for such an abrupt departure, in hindsight our hearts are grateful that she did not have to endure any intense or unnecessary suffering because we selfishly wanted more time.

Pam leaves to cherish her precious memory, a very close-knit family, extended family and friends: her cherished husband and all her siblings; four nephews, Nicholas J. Kirkland, JaVier W. Heard, Jason Ellis and Eric Johnson; four nieces, Darlene Wilcher, Silbret Ellis, Ashley Ellis and Vanessa Kirkland; four aunts, Eleanora Moreland, Gearline Roberson, Delores Hagins and Lizzie Kirkland; three uncles, Willie Clarence Cooper aka Boojie, Edward Ellis and Rev. Edward Kirkland; in-laws, Keith Eakins, Sr. and Margaret (Imogene) Jordan; and an abundance of cousins, siblings from another mother and a huge extension of family-friends.

met Kevin Eakins who became the love of her life. Pam and Kevin lived their happily ever after love story until her passing on February 2nd. Pam and Kevin dated for 21+ years, married on August 24, 2002, and have been married for the past 23½ years. We all watched their love story evolve for almost 45 years of togetherness. You couldn’t say Pam without saying “Pam & Kevin”.

Pam left Kenner Products after the plant closed in 2000 and went to work at Macy’s Distribution Center in the Tri-County area for approximately 10 years. After that tenure, she would spend her last 10+ years of employment at RR Donnelley & Sons Company in Northern Kentucky until her retirement in June 2020. In the all-too-soon coming months, Pam and Kevin welcomed our mother into their home and cared for her during her final year of life. Most people retire and eventually return to doing something — not Pam. She literally “RETIRED” to some of her old favorites and spent the lion’s share of her time with Aunt Bee, Opie and Andy Taylor when she wasn’t engrossed in a word search puzzle.

Pam loved her family, but more recently, a small bundle of joy came into Pam’s life. After the birth of the latest addition to the family, Pam took every available moment to embrace her great niece, Jade Nichole Kirkland. She celebrated Jade’s birthday on the 24th of every month since her birth and loved all over her every time she was around. Jade gave Pam pur-pose and a reason to be present the next day. We are all so happy that Pam had the opportunity to be here and share the first 7½ months of Jade’s life with her.

Pam was diagnosed in May 2025 with Stage 4 pancreatic cancer with a spot also on her liver. Recognizing chemotherapy was not a cure, but a slowdown, Pam, like our mother, was determined to stay the course and fight to the end. Her fight was not long; sudden cardiac arrest allowed her to spread her wings, fly away and join our parents, grandparents and a host of family and friends without the agonizing and painful process of transitioning. While we were unprepared for such an abrupt departure, in hindsight our hearts are grateful that she did not have to endure any intense or unnecessary suffering because we selfishly wanted more time.

Pam leaves to cherish her precious memory, a very close-knit family, extended family and friends: her cherished husband and all her siblings; four nephews, Nicholas J. Kirkland, JaVier W. Heard, Jason Ellis and Eric Johnson; four nieces, Darlene Wilcher, Silbret Ellis, Ashley Ellis and Vanessa Kirkland; four aunts, Eleanora Moreland, Gearline Roberson, Delores Hagins and Lizzie Kirkland; three uncles, Willie Clarence Cooper aka Boojie, Edward Ellis and Rev. Edward Kirkland; in-laws, Keith Eakins, Sr. and Margaret (Imogene) Jordan; and an abundance of cousins, siblings from another mother and a huge extension of family-friends.

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