Wilma Atkins' Obituary
Wilma Vera Atkins, was the youngest of three daughters born to George Ewing and Georgia Malissie Carter Wilson, on January 27, 1916, near Sleeper, Missouri. She departed this life Monday, October 1, 2007, in the Baptist Home, in Ozark, Missouri, at the age of ninety-one years, eight months, and four days. On November 20, 1943, she was united in marriage to David Jesse Atkins, a farmer and insurance agent, and to this union two daughters were born. She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, David, on June 24, 1991; and two sisters, Edna Burch and Lola Wilson. Wilma is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law, Naomi Marcene and Orval Townsend, of Nixa, Missouri, and Wilma Faye and Joe Davis, of Brookline, Missouri; three granddaughters, Janet Davis, of Fair Play, Missouri, Sara Davis, of Bolivar, Missouri, and Angela McGuirk, and her husband, Dustin, of Billings, Missouri; a great-grandson, Jaden McGuirk; two step-grandchildren, David Townsend, and his wife, Rebecca, of Blue Springs, Missouri, and Elizabeth Townsend, of Sterling, Colorado; two step-great-granddaughters, Kayla and Norah Townsend; several nieces and nephews; as well as a host of other relatives and many friends. She was a lifelong resident of Laclede County, Missouri and attended Turner School and Lebanon High School for three years. She transferred to Stoutland High School for her senior year so she could live at home and go to school by bus. She was graduated in the Class of 1933. Wilma taught for three years at Greenstreet School in the early 1940’s. During the summers she attended Southwest Baptist College, now S.B.U., in Bolivar. All of her daughters and granddaughters are S.B.U. graduates and teachers. She liked secretarial work and record keeping, and worked as a part time secretary for Mutual Insurance in Lebanon. She was also head baker at the Lebanon High School cafeteria for twenty-three years. For the last four years she had made her home in the Springfield area. Wilma received Christ as her Savior during a revival at First Baptist Church in Lebanon and was baptized into her home church, Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. She later transferred her membership to First Baptist Church where she was a longtime active member. She began working with the Girls’ Auxiliary and Vacation Bible School, and always enjoyed the Fidelis Sunday School Class. Wilma also served as church pianist for Millcreek Baptist Mission in the 1960’s. Having a knack for writing, Wilma wrote two books for her granddaughters, The Golden Years and Stroll Down Memory Lane. Her special hobbies were reading, scrapbooks, crocheting, and sewing for her granddaughters. She volunteered as a Pink Lady at the Wallace Memorial Hospital and served on the Council on Aging in the 1970’s. She was an “outdoor” person, always planting flowers and helping her husband on the farm. She loved photography and served for fifteen years as superintendent of the Photography Department at the Laclede County Fair. She liked participating in the fair and had won many blue ribbons for her canning, baking, sewing, crafts, and needlework projects. She and David enjoyed traveling and after retiring, they took several trips across the United States. Her family was most important to her and she greatly enjoyed her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Wilma was a loving mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, sister and aunt, and was a caring neighbor and friend. We celebrate her life and her accomplishments and will cherish the wonderful memories she created for her family and friends. Services will be held at 2:00 p.m. Friday, October 5, 2007, in the Holman-Howe Funeral Home, Lebanon. Burial will be in the Lebanon Cemetery. Visitation will be held Thursday evening from 7 - 8:30 p.m. under the direction of Holman-Howe Funeral Home of Lebanon, Missouri. Memorials to The Baptist Home of Ozark, Missouri may be made through the funeral home.
What’s your fondest memory of Wilma?
What’s a lesson you learned from Wilma?
Share a story where Wilma's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Wilma you’ll never forget.
How did Wilma make you smile?