Eleanor Gray Atkins

Mrs. Eleanor Bowden Atkins of Greensboro went home to be with her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ on Sunday, May 26, 2019 at Moses H. Cone Memorial Hospital.

Funeral will be 12:00 PM Saturday, June 1, 2019 at Pleasant Grove Baptist Church with burial to follow in the church cemetery.

Eleanor Atkins was a woman of great faith and served the Lord with all her heart. Her faith never wavered during her eighty-three years of life. She raised her eight children in the ways of the Christian faith that she learned at Pleasant Grove Church. She taught Sunday school for fifty years where she taught others about Jesus. Eleanor’s other passion was trying to save babies from abortion, and she served as North Carolina Right to Life president for a season.

Eleanor was born November 10, 1935 to Grady and Zelda Bowden of Summerfield. She was married to her one and only love, Jack Atkins, who preceded her in death in 2004, just a week shy of fifty years together.

She was welcomed to her new Heavenly home by her husband, Jack; son, Barry; parents, Zelda and Grady Bowden; sisters, Anne Batchelor and Doris Bowden; and her father and mother-in-law, Friel and Esther Atkins; and sons-in-law, Mark Godfrey and Phil Jackson.

Eleanor was a very loving and kind mother and will be greatly missed by her seven children, Trish Hinshaw (Marcus), Diane Godfrey, Roland Atkins, Wendy Elks, Wanda Jackson, Cheryl Ryals (Tony), and Pam Mimms (Ronnie).

 Eleanor also left behind twenty-nine grandchildren, Danny Branson (Alice), Josh Branson (Leslie), Jennifer Spargo, Brad Hinshaw (Clara), April Boone (Steve), Misty Wright (Ronald), Toby Hinshaw (Maggie), Jeremy Hinshaw (Emefa), Josiah Atkins (Tara), Susanna Miller (Austin), Caroline Atkins, Rosalynn Atkins, Elaina Atkins, Samuel and Noel Waddington, P. J. Jackson, Graham Jackson (Paige), Leighah Jackson, Hannah Benton (Tyler), Jessica Livengood (Luke), Candace Ryals (Tyler), Tyler and Chad Ryals, R. J. Mimms (Santanna), and Jesse Mimms, Michael Elks (Hermene), Amber Kasbe (Timothy), Lucas Elks (Kim), and Jordan Elks (Jennie); thirty-three great grandchildren; Daniel, Nathan, Clarissa, Jaden, Ashton, Levi, Laila, Clint, Landon, Lily, Jack, Shiane (Jason), Joshua, Jack, Brock, Clayton, Destiny, Bristol, Brooklyn, Asha, Eden, Bryce, Ethan, Katlyn, Aianya, Madison, Jeremiah, Liam, Levi, Braydon, Amelia, Emma, and Nolan; and one great-great grandson, Jason all of whom she loved with her whole heart and never missed one of their birthdays! Her grandchildren absolutely adored their precious grandmother.

She is also survived by her sisters, Margaret and Ruth Bowden; and former son-in-law, Danny Branson.

The family will receive friends from 10:30-12:00 pm at the church prior to the service.

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