Jason Aaron Arkin touched the lives of many. He offered smiles full of kindness and warmth to friends and strangers alike. He celebrated the love of family and friends and the great beauty this world holds. Jason, 20, passed away Tuesday, May 19, 2015 at Evanston Hospital in Evanston, Illinois. Jason was born on May 24, 1994 in Overland Park, KS to Steve and Karen Arkin. He enjoyed traveling, dancing, hiking, and reading every word written by Stephen King. He earned his Eagle Scout in Troop 324 and was inducted into the Tribe of Mic-O-Say. Jason graduated from Blue Valley Northwest High School in May 2012 as a National Merit Scholar, and he was currently a junior at Northwestern University studying electrical engineering. Jason struggled with clinical depression and ultimately passed due to his illness. Jason was one of many young adults suffering with mental illnesses in a time when mental illness remains stigmatized and misunderstood. He is survived by his parents and sister, Jennifer. Other survivors include grandparents David and Marlene Arkin of Glenview, IL; grandmother Marie Mikkelson of Olathe, KS; and numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his grandfather "Mik" Mikkelson and aunt Jacqueline Arkin. Funeral services are Monday, May 25, at 10:30 AM at Congregation Beth Torah in Overland Park, KS, with burial on Tuesday, May 26, at 1:00 PM at Mount Moriah Cemetery in Kansas City, MO. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to the National Alliance on Mental Illness at NAMI.org. "Almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure - these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important." - Steve Jobs Mt Moriah & Freeman Funeral Home & Cemetery. Dignity Memorial.

Published in Kansas City Star on May 23, 2015