Memorials/Donations
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Nazarene Compassionate Ministries and left at the funeral home.
Obituary
Mary Roberts, age 83, of El Dorado Springs, MO, (formerly of Independence, MO) passed away on September 12, 2013. She began her lifetime of adventure on May 24, 1930, as the first child of Charles Reuel and Zaida Bell (Wooten) Atkinson in Ardmore, Oklahoma. Surrounding her childhood were her siblings, numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins, who instilled in her the love of family. Mary gave her life to serving Jesus Christ at a young age, which remained her source of joy every step of the way.
Mary graduated from Trevecca High School in Nashville, TN, in 1948, and also attended Trevecca Nazarene College in Nashville and Bethany Nazarene College in Bethany, OK. She moved to Kansas City to work at the Nazarene Publishing House. On June 30, 1956, in Kansas City, MO, Mary joined hands with her best friend to become the wife of Bobbie E. Roberts. The Roberts’ home was then blessed by two daughters, Julie and Janette.
Her career throughout the Kansas City area included the Nazarene Publishing house, Kansas City Police Department in the 1950's, the Internal Revenue Service, Deloitte & Touche (from which she retired), and the Church of the Nazarene Headquarters in Kansas City.
Mary believed in love and laughter, always having a zest for life and facing every day as an opportunity. She and Bobbie never missed an event in the lives of their family and extended family. She also perfected many things like cooking, sewing, piano playing, reading, but by far her favorite hobby was packing a suitcase and traveling. She enjoyed many trips in and out of the country, but especially her numerous visits to the islands of Hawaii. Mary also cared deeply for her church she attended in El Dorado Springs, MO, the Church of the Nazarene. She was the pianist or organist for all the churches she attended.
She was preceded in death by her parents Charles Reuel Atkinson and Zaida Bell Atkinson.
She leaves to cherish her sweet memories: husband Bobbie of 57 years; two daughters Julie Jennings and husband Jay of Sheldon, MO, and Janette Hobson and husband Doug of Nampa, ID; granddaughter Ashley Hobson of Nampa, ID; sister Carolyn Blankenship of Coconut Creek, FL; three brothers and their wives Wendall and Dorothy Atkinson of Forney, TX, Dean and Pat Atkinson of Newcastle, OK, Paul and Ruth Atkinson of Eldon, MO; numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins, two step-granddaughters and their husbands, two step-great-grandsons, and many friends, all of whom she cherished dearly.
The family will receive friends on Friday, September 20, 2013, from 6:00-7:00 p.m. at Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home. Services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, September 21, 2013, at the El Dorado Springs Church of the Nazarene with Rev. Wendell Daniel officiating. Burial will follow at Clintonville Cemetery under direction of Bland-Hackleman Funeral Home.
Pallbearers are Dean Atkinson, David Atkinson, Paul Atkinson, Jeff Truitt, and Wendall Atkinson.
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