August 7, 2014 

Funeral for J.W. Atkins, 79, of Hartselle, was Mon., Aug. 11, at 3 p.m. at Hartselle Church of Christ with Minister Phillip Hines officiating and Peck Funeral Home directing.

Burial was in Hartselle City Cemetery.

Mr. Atkins died Thur., Aug. 7, 2014, at Trinity Medical Center in Birmingham. He graduated from Morgan County High School and attended Auburn University and Athens State studying electrical engineering. He spent 39 years working at Joe Wheeler Co-Op and helped bring electricity to all parts of Morgan County.

During his life, Mr. Atkins was an active member of Hartselle Church of Christ and Civitan Club. He took mission trips to Costa Rica and Jamaica, and served 15 years on the board of directors at Eva Bank. He was an avid farmer, co-owning a large farm in Tennessee and three smaller farms in Morgan County. He was a football fan and loved the Alabama Crimson Tide. He was preceded in death by his parents, Bob and Betty Atkins and siblings, Cora Ella Alldridge, Dolly Shelton, Bobbie Jennings and Lamar Atkins.

Mr. Atkins is survived by his wife of 55 years, Hesta Atkins; three children, Kelly Atkins (Katie) of Custer, SD., James Atkins (Celeste) of Huntsville and Clay Atkins of Hartselle; daughter-in-law, Vivian Atkins of Hartselle; four grandchildren, Chelsea Atkins of Springfield, Mo., Mia and Anna Atkins of Hartselle, Alex Atkins of Custer; and stepgrandchildren, Sarah and Jason Keil of Custer and Spencer Payton of Alcolu, SC.; brother, Charles Atkins of Priceville and J.C. Atkins of Mount Hope; sisters, Dianna Gurley of Somerville and Carol Parsons of Hartselle.

Pallbearers were Allen Kirby, Bob Kirby, Ray Breakfield, Dewayne Morris, Charles Crawford, Darrell Sims and Dr. Dinesh Gandhi.

Honorary pallbearers were Roy Johnston and Wayne Hicks.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Hartselle Church of Christ Brazil Orphanage Fund.