Obituary of Tom Akrop

Our Dad, Tom Akrop, passed away on July 7th at the age of 72, surrounded by family at his home in Capitola. 
People tell us our father was amazing but it’s how he spent his time with family and friends that made him the man he was. Quiet and humble, you would never guess that he had the heart of a Lion. Passion and devotion are what come to mind when we think of you, Dad. Always honest, you told us how it was straight up. When you paid us a compliment, it was genuine and real. You ran a tight ship at home but you instilled in us the fundamentals of life - manners, respect, honesty, authenticity, and love. You reminded us that we can do anything we put our minds to and always supported our goals, never missing a baseball, basketball, volleyball or soccer game for all three of us; even yelling at the refs when they were out of line. Dad, we will always remember you in your happiest moments, sitting on the beach cheering us on during Jr. Guard competitions, shucking fresh oysters paired with your Navarro wines and standing at the helm of the Animal, so calm, meant to be on the ocean. 
You opened our eyes to the world with incredible family adventures like abalone dive trips spent crammed in the tent trailer, ski trips to Tahoe, Regionals, road trips singing along to Jimmy Buffet, snorkeling in Hawaii, traveling in Serbia and the Croatian coast, and the list goes on. You gave us the chance to have these experiences that will last a lifetime. You put your whole heart into raising us and sacrificed so much to give us the best life possible. When you held your granddaughter, her face lit up with joy, never leading her to believe you were sick because your positivity was infectious, smile contagious and spirit relentless. Cancer may have taken your life but never your spirit. 
We love you Dad and will continue to live life with you leading the way. Thank you for the life lessons we will never forget. We’ll be celebrating you tonight on the deck, with mom. 
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the 
Capitola Jr Life Guard Parent’s Club (put in memo: for equipment). Thank you for supporting a Tommy ap- proved organization.