Patricia Atkins

Patricia England Atkins died in Plano, Texas on June 26, 2024, after bravely battling the effects from a stroke earlier this year.

Pat was a devoted wife and mother, and she never met a stranger.  If you were a friend of Pat’s, you had a friend for life.  She had a wealth of artistic talents including calligraphy, painting, card-making, and cake-baking, and she enjoyed cooking, entertaining, and hosting parties.  Pat loved life, and she leaves us with many memories that will be treasured forever.

Pat was a native Texan born to Rolin and Nita England in Del Rio, Texas on September 10, 1942 (weighing a mere 3.75 pounds). She lived on a ranch in Brackettville, down in south Texas, where her grandmother Mary Covington and her dog ‘Fella’ helped raise her.  When Pat was 3, her family moved to the big city of Killeen where she lived until she went to college.  During her school years, Pat participated in Texas Girls State, Rainbow Girls, Methodist Youth Fellowship, Student Council, and she starred in her Senior Class Play “Junior Miss.”  Pat maintained lifelong friends from her childhood and attended her high school reunions regularly (Go ‘Roos!).

After Pat graduated from Killeen High School in 1961, she proceeded to attend Texas Tech University in Lubbock where she studied Business Administration and met her future husband, Tom Atkins, on a blind date.  Tom and Pat were married in 1965 and recently celebrated their 59th anniversary on June 5.  The couple lived several places before settling in Plano, Texas to raise their children, Penne and Jeff.  They joined Christ United Methodist Church in 1973, where they were active members, and Pat worked as the Business and Facilities Administrator for the church for many years.

Pat was always involved in whatever activities her kids participated in, and she also enjoyed Garden Club, Beta Sigma Phi, church campouts, mission trips, and other church activities.  One of her many creative outlets was making cakes for family and friends with her “Patty Cakes” business.  In 1982, she was honored to serve as Worthy Matron of Plano Chapter 703, Order of the Eastern Star.  Of course, Friday nights in Plano meant attending Plano Wildcat football games with several other couples that made up the “Van Clan.”

Around 1990, Tom’s job took them to Houston where they lived for 22 years and were active in Cypress United Methodist Church where Pat again worked on the church staff and made numerous lifelong friends.  During her years in Houston, she doted on her one and only grandchild, Preston, and loved any opportunity to babysit or to attend his school or sporting events.  She continued to enjoy lots of clubs and activities - Calligraphy Guild, playing handbells, hosting tea parties, creating special characters to perform at church services, writing club, attending Houston Comets games - any excuse to get together with friends!

However, it was not a surprise that when Tom retired, he and Pat returned to Plano and reunited with friends from Christ United Methodist Church.  Pat once again got involved in many church activities including the Family Living Class, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Sager Brown mission trips and get-togethers with the “Sager Sisters.”  Pat also volunteered her calligraphy talents to letter the baptismal certificates and bibles that the church gave to third graders.

Throughout her life, Pat enjoyed traveling across the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, as well as trips and cruises to many countries across Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Costa Rica, Russia, and the Holy Land.  Most summers, Pat and Tom enjoyed the cool weather at their vacation home in Cloudcroft, New Mexico where Pat also made many lifelong friends and regularly attended Cloudcroft United Methodist Church.  If you visited Pat at “the cottage” in Cloudcroft, you were sure to tour the local pistachio farm, slide down the dunes at White Sands National Park, hit the shops on Burro Street, watch hummingbirds while enjoying morning coffee on the deck, and probably lose a few nickels playing a favorite card game “Nickel Up”. You would also pass by the billboard sign designed and painted by Pat and a friend, which was posted at the entrance to their Cloudcroft neighborhood, Chippeway Park.

Pat’s interests and activities seem too numerous to list – music and singing, all types of flowers from bluebonnets to orchids, tap dancing and even square dancing.  We will always remember and celebrate her joyful, exuberant spirit.  As Pat was known to say, “Smile” and “Make it a good day”!

Pat is survived by her husband Thomas Guilford Atkins, daughter Pennelopye Atkins Graham, son Jeffrey Thomas Atkins, grandson Preston Wayne Graham, sister Gail Tuthill, nieces Jacque Fewin and Kimberly Armour and grand-nieces and grand-nephews, as well as her beloved little rescue dachshund ‘Mystic.’

A memorial service will be held to honor Pat’s life at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, July 20, 2024 at Christ United Methodist Church, 3101 Coit Road, Plano, Texas 75075. If you wish to view the service via webcast: https://control.resi.io/webplayer/video.html?id=8126692f-a0b0-42fd-a069-a8df71be8b63

If desired, or in lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the following organizations:

Dallas Arboretum and Botanical Garden

https://www.dallasarboretum.org

Journey of Hope Grief Support Center – Plano, Texas

https://johgriefsupport.org

Christ United Methodist Church - Plano, Texas