JoAnn Margaret (Evans) Atkins, 85, of Grand Island died Sunday, June 5, 2011 at Good Samaritan Village in Grand Island.
Funeral services will be at 11 am Thursday at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home. Pastor Tim Rust will officiate. Visitation will be from 4-8 pm Wednesday at the funeral home. Burial will be in Westlawn Memorial Park.
Memorials are suggested to His Hands Extended Ministry in Mexico.
Mrs. Atkins was born on August 2, 1925 to Joseph French and Anna Marie (Day) Evans on the home place north of Stratton, CO. During the dirty 30's, JoAnn recalled her dad and three brothers leaving Colorado driving their stock on horseback to the belly deep grass of the Nebraska sand hills. It was here she matured to a fine young woman forming friendships that lasted through to her death. At the age of sixteen she graduated from Mullen High School.
She was united in marriage to Melvin (Moe) F. Atkins on July 13, 1944 in St. John, Kansas just prior to his Navy enlistment. To this union two sons were born, Thomas M. Atkins and Jerry D. Atkins. In the early years of their marriage JoAnne and the boys traveled with Moe from town to town following the road construction crew of Missouri Valley Construction Company, Peter Kiewit Corporation. Many Saturday nights you would find them at a dance in one of the little towns anywhere from Grand Island to Scottsbluff. This family of four would spend many evening and weekends at a little fishing hole known only to those who had the insider info from the locals they befriended in the towns they stayed in.
In 1963 they settled and purchased their first home in Grand Island. Later they moved to rural Hall County so the boys could have their horses. After the boys high school graduations JoAnn worked in retail sales in several locations in Grand Island. In 1971-72 they built their dream retirement cabin at Johnson Lake where they remained until 1990. JoAnn worked at Pamida Store and later Gibson's Store in Lexington. When her nephew established JJ's Marina at Johnson Lake she worked for him in his retail store. During this time Moe became disabled on his job and they returned to Grand Island to be near their family. JoAnn faithfully nursed Moe the last 25 years of his life. He preceded her in death on May 20, 2003.
In 2004 JoAnn moved to Riverside Lodge Assisted Living where she remained until February 2011. While there she found friendship and enjoyed the many activities provided to the residents. Her lifetime hobby was crocheting, which she continued even attempting to finish some baby blankets these past few weeks. Many times she was able to take and old outfit and restyle it into something new with her skill of sewing and her trusty Singer featherweight machine.
Survivors of the immediate family include two sons; Thomas M. (Linda J.) Atkins, Sr. of Grand Island and Jerry D. (Ann) Atkins of Grand Island, her grandchildren; Jeanne (Carl) Mettenbrink of Grand Island, Thomas M. (June) Atkins Jr. of Alda, Josie Atkins of Bellevue, Marnie Atkins of Hastings, Jeremy J. (Michelle) Atkins of Grand Island, Heather (Bill) Fucile of Grand Island, and Seth Atkins of Grand Island. She is also survived by her Great grandchildren; Derek and Sasha Mettenbrink of Grand Island, Maddie, Rachel, Hayden and Hadley Atkins of Alda, and Aidyn and Emaree Atkins of Grand Island.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, two brothers; Robert and James Evans, and two sisters; Maxine Baldwin and Marie Ross.