Samuel Lee Akers

Chattanooga Attorney and former Hamilton County Clerk & Master

LCDR Samuel Lee Akers, USN retired, age 80, passed away on January 16, 2024 at his home in Signal Mountain, Tennessee after a courageous battle with cancer.

Born in Chattanooga on October 20, 1943, Lee grew up in Chattanooga and later, Byron, GA.

Lee earned his B.A. in 1966 at Berry College in Rome, GA where he met his future wife, Shorter College student Mercedes Lilia Vuksanovic. They married in Dam Neck, VA on March 13, 1967.

Lee served on active duty in the Navy from 1966 to 1971. As an Operational Intelligence Officer, he retired in 1988 at the permanent rank of Lieutenant Commander.

Lee earned his J.D. from The University of Memphis in 1974. He also earned the title of Master Toastmaster with Toastmasters International, and as a member of the Jaycees, he taught extra-curricular public speaking in several Memphis high schools for which he was awarded the Jaycees honor of an Outstanding Young Man of America.

From 1978 to 1981, Lee served as Special Agent, F.B.I. in the Tampa Division responsible for management of a full investigative case load. He also was Legal Advisor for the Orlando and Cocoa Beach offices responsible for legal instruction and compliance of approximately twenty special agents.

Lee had extensive litigation experience in tort law and major complex litigation in Federal Courts involving financial institution fidelity bonds.

In 1996, Lee was appointed Hamilton County Clerk & Master. He earned the degree of Certified Public Administrator from The University of Tennessee Institute for Public Service. He was named Outstanding State Court Clerk of 2004 by The County Officials Association of Tennessee. After 18 years as Clerk & Master, Lee retired in 2014.

Lee served on numerous Statutory Commissions & Committees for the Tennessee Supreme Court, the State Court Clerks' Association, the County Officials Association, and the Chattanooga and Tennessee Bar Associations, including: President of the Chattanooga Bar Association; Judge Advocate for both the Tennessee State Court Clerks Association and the County Officials Association of Tennessee; nine years as a Commissioner on  The Supreme Court Advisory Commission on the Rules of Practice and Procedure; fourteen years on the Tennessee Judicial Information Advisory Committee; and four years on the Tennessee Judicial Council Bench/Bar Committee. He also served more than seven years on the Commercial Panel, American Arbitration Association.

Lee is a Fellow of both the Chattanooga and the Tennessee Bar Foundations; only lawyers judged by their peers to have outstanding records of service to the bar, the community, and the state are so honored. Through a strenuous Peer Review Rating process managed and monitored by the world's most trusted legal resource, Lee was awarded the Martindale-Hubble® Peer Review Rating AV Preeminent which shows that a lawyer has reached the pinnacle of professional excellence and is recognized for the highest levels of skill and integrity.

Lee was a Senior Attorney who had been around the block many times. If it was done, he'd done it and had a drawer full of tee shirts from it. When asked how he was doing, Lee would answer, "Better than I deserve!" He meant it! His life was full due to the saving grace of the son of God.

Lee was an avid SCUBA diver, certified as a Master SCUBA Diver, Dive Master, and held 15 other specialty and technical certifications from the Professional Association of Diving Instructors, The International Association of Nitrox and Technical Divers, and the Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques.

Lee's favorite pastime was being surrounded with his family and loved ones. Lee was known for his humor, and excellent grilling skills, especially making delicious burgers.  Lee never missed an opportunity to share how proud he was of his grandson, Niko, and Niko's incredible accomplishments.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Shelby Russell Akers, Sr. and Helen Crumley Akers, and his beloved sister-in-law, Sharon Holloman Akers.

Lee is survived by his wife of 56 years, Mercedes Vuksanovic Akers, children Bradford Lee Akers and Camby Leigh Akers, his favorite grandson Nikolas Jordan "Niko" Blanks, sister Virginia Lynn "Jennie" Akers, brother Shelby Russell Akers, Jr., special friends Vicki Luhowiak and Jon Cable, numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

The family would like to thank the wonderful care given by Tennessee Oncology, Memorial Home Health,  and Hearth Hospice of Chattanooga.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Austin Hatcher Foundation for Pediatric Cancer and the Spacekind Foundation: Cosmic Odyssey Scholarship. www.hatcherfoundation.org

Lee will be interred at the Chattanooga National Cemetery, along with his parents and other family members February 1, 2024 at 10:30am followed by a reception that will be held at Baylor School from 12-2pm.