Erlinda Taylor Mackinnon

Erlinda Taylor Akin Mackinnon, 86, passed on into the love light eternal on Saturday, December 12, 2020 in Bossier City, LA. Visitation will be held in the chapel at Rose-Neath Funeral Home in Bossier City, LA on Monday, December 21, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 a.m. A memorial service will be held after in the chapel from 11:00 a.m. until 12:00 p.m. followed by a brief graveside memorial at Rose-Neath Cemetery, Bossier City, LA. Gary Knighton and Reverend Joseph Martina will officiate the service. Erlinda was the embodiment of the American Dream. Born May 21, 1934 in La Concepcion, Panama, in the late 1940's she immigrated to the United States and Louisiana with her mother and sister in search of new opportunities in the land of promise. In 1955 she graduated with honors from C.E. Byrd High School and then preceded to nursing school which led to a long humanitarian /caretaker career as a registered nurse, LPN and EKG Technician at the former Schumpert and Doctor's Hospital in Shreveport, LA and an ER Nurse at Bossier Medical Center in Bossier City, LA. Furthering her medical career, Erlinda became an EEG Technician and served as the Chief Neurologist at Overton Brooks VA Hospital for nearly 30 years. She was awarded "Unsung Hero" status by her peers there for her "belief in doing more than just what you get paid for". Erlinda served for several years there on the Hispanic Heritage Month Committee as well as in the Employee's Association. Her pride in her Panamanian heritage led her to work with the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) and together they organized the first Cinco de Mayo Festival in the Shreveport-Bossier City area in 1998. Professional growth was always a priority for Erlinda. She held every leadership position in the American Business Women's Association Or Noir Chapter for years and was named "Business Associate of the Year" by the chapter. She also served as chairman of the ABWA Shreveport-Bossier City Joint Council. Erlinda's history of community service also spanned the decades. From her church work at Holy Trinity Catholic Church, St. Pius X Catholic Church and Church Of Christ to the Salvation Army, Meals On Wheels, Civitans, Shreveport Little Theater, Performing Arts Theatre, Strand Theatre, Shreveport Symphony, Shreveport Opera, Neon Saturday Night or the Red River Revel, Erlinda unselfishly gave her time and energy as a consummate "community volunteer at large". Due to her years of community involvement and leadership Erlinda was one of twenty individuals from the Shreveport, LA area to be selected to participate in the Pew Civic Entrepreneur Institute in 1997-98. Erlinda truly gave back to her community and to the arts she loved in every way she could. After retiring from her medical career in 1999, one would think it was time to rest, but at the urging of her son, David Akin, who works in the film industry, Erlinda auditioned for a role in a Dimension Films movie production shooting in the Shreveport area and she got the role! That led to a multi-year career as an actress in major and minor motion pictures. Fully completing the circle that began in Panama when she won a "Shirley Temple" look-alike contest as a young girl in grade school. The American Dream indeed. She was a loving mother, wife, grandmother, sister, aunt and a treasured friend to many especially her beloved Church Of Christ Ladies Class. Her laughter, energy and nurturing nature will be greatly missed. She is preceded in death by her son's father, William Travis Akin; her daughter, Pamela Kay Miller; her parents, James M. and Elida C. Harris; sister, Elida (Yolanda) H. Morris and brothers, Juan C. Cervantes and Fernando Taylor. Erlinda is survived by her son, David Wayne Akin; granddaughters, Jennifer Renee Akin and Tabitha Miller; grandsons, Daniel Giddings and Nicholas Miller; great-granddaughter, Elida Marie Giddings; niece, Elizabeth Beattie and many cherished great-nieces and nephews. Honoring Erlinda as pallbearers will be David Akin, Daniel Giddings and Thomas Vanderbush. Her son expresses his sincere gratitude to caretaker, Debra Gooden, the staffs at Brookdale Shreveport and Savannah Grand Bossier City for their loving care and compassion for his mother in her final days. The family suggests memorials in her name may be made to the Louisiana Chapter of the Alzheimer's Association, 910 Pierremont Road, Shreveport, LA 71106. For the family and friends who can not be with us, we invite you to join ZOOM live stream on Monday, December 21, 2020, 2020 at 11:00 a.m. CST. Click on the link below. http://https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84153700892?pwd=bnV6TGxuRG9MNUpZempMQlNIVFNQZz09