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Former Austin Mayor Harry Akin died Tuesday morning at 72.Akin served as mayor from 1967 to 1969. He owned the chain of Night Hawk restaurants and also was president of the Texas Restaurant Association(TRA).Mayor Jeff Friedman, whosupported Akin in his unsuccessful bid for re-election, said, “He was the first socially aware mayor of Austin.“One of his greatest achievements was the passing of the Open Housing Ordinance in 1967. That one act alone speaks very highly for him.“He was probably the mostliberal mayor the city had upto that point.”Another former mayor, RoyButler, who defeated Akin in the 1969 mayor’s race, said, “I am very distressed to hear of Mayor Akin’s death.“He was a personal friend as well as a fine mayor. I think the community has lost a fine citizen.”University History Prof. Joe Frantz said Akin worked as a road show actor in thelate Twenties.“He worked washing dishes and taking other odd jobs in Los Angeles, waiting for his big break in acting,” Frantzsaid.“Finally, he returned to Austin in an old Model A with $150 and opened Frisco’s, athree-or-four-stool affair selling hamburgers made from quality meat. This grew into the Night Hawk restaurant chain.“He was a businessman in the best sense of the word,” Frantz said.As president of the TRA, Akin did more to integrate restaurants than anyone else in the state, Frantz added.Funeral services will be at 3 p.m. Wednesday at Weed-Corley Funeral Home.Akin is survived by his wife, Lela Jane, and three stepchildren, Victor, Karen and Cindy Sumner.The Counseling and Psychological Services Center provides immediate professional service without charge to all students. 471-3515 or PAX 3380. Counselors are available at West Mall office building 303 for help in career planning, studying, emotional and social adjustment. No appointment is necessary.
Newspaper Details
Austin Daily Texan
Austin, Texas, US
Wed, Apr 14, 1976
Page 6
Full Page
Clipped by
Badgerlink
WI, USA 27 May 2018
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