Izola W. Acklin's Obituary
Izola Woods Acklin, 92, formerly of Chattanooga, departed this life to be with our Heavenly Father on Monday, January 13, 2025, at her home in Temple, Georgia. She was born October 17, 1932, in Toney, Alabama. She was the beloved and youngest daughter of Fannie Davis Gaines, and Lee Jefferson Taylor.
Izola only completed the seventh grade due to her family moving multiple times when she was young, but her entire family worked long hours in the cotton fields for little wages. She met her child-hood sweetheart, James Edward Acklin, at age 10, and they started dating when she was 12 years old. She got married on November 30, 1947, at the age of 15, and he was 17 years old. They were married for over 53 years with six children born to this union.
During her early years of marriage, Izola worked for several families. She was a stellar self-taught seamstress who made clothes for her two daughters, dresses for weddings, and so much more. Later on, Izola started full time at Burchay’s Furrier Shop where she worked for over 20 years sewing on fur coats. A few years after her retirement from Burchay’s, she started working for Dollar General where she worked for 13 years until she was diagnosed with COPD.
In the early 1980’s while a member of First Baptist Church of Avondale, Izola was led to Christ by her son-in-law Rev. James Jenkins. After choosing to follow Christ, her relationship with Christ began to grow, and she started teaching Sunday School. From 1995 to 2005, Izola along with her youngest daughter Karen Jenkins and three other ladies started a ministry called Christian Women United where she served as the president for ten years. Under her leadership, many of the ladies that attended the conferences came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Through the years she continued to teach and share her faith at churches and conferences.
Soon after, she started two Red Hat Groups called the Sophisticated Ladies of the Red Hat Society and Classy Sassy Diva’s. She served as the Queen Mother within those groups for over 20 years. At the age of 92, besides the Lord and her family, Izola loved, loved, loved shopping, which she did faithfully and diligently. She also enjoyed crafting, being on social media like TikTok and Google as well as playing bible games on the phone and texting her family.
In addition to her parents and husband, Izola was preceded in death by her two siblings, Eva and Jesse Davis; son, James Acklin; and daughter, Doris Acklin; grandsons, Stephen Hinton and James Jenkins, Jr.; granddaughter, Lisa Acklin Vinson; and son-in-law, M.T. Hinton.
Those left to cherish her precious memories are her loving sons, Hollis (Sheryl) Acklin of Temple, GA and Larry (Kasandra) Acklin of Chattanooga, TN, daughters, Wannie Hinton of Powder Springs, GA and Karen (James) Jenkins of Temple, GA; one granddaughter she helped raise, Yolanda Shackelford and the many other grandchildren; great-grandchildren; great-great- grandchildren; a host of nephews, nieces, cousins, other loving relatives and dear friends all of whom will miss her dearly. She had one special friend to whom she had been friends with for over 70 years, Mrs. Buel Walker. Izola will lie-in-state on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, from 9-10 a.m. at Taylor Funeral Home. She will lie-in-state at 11 a.m. at New Zion Baptist Church. The funeral service will follow at 12 noon with Minister Marcus Hinton as the Eulogist. Burial will be in Forest Hills Cemetery.
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