Obituary

Patricia “patty” cox atkins, 85, died friday, july 21, 2017. Patty was born on september 19, 1931 in mount hope, west virginia to julia richards cox and howard cox. She grew up in mt. Hope surrounded by the love of her parents and julia’s fun-loving, close-knit group of ten siblings and their families. Patty graduated from mt. Hope high school in 1949 and soon had the good fortune of a chance meeting with joe atkins, from nearby cabin creek.

Patty and joe married in 1950 and eventually settled in charleston, where they worked and reared their children. As their family grew, patty and joe bought a claire street home on charleston’s west side, where they spent the rest of their lives. Patty enjoyed being a stay-at-home mother and spending summer days with her four children at elkland pool where she went through countless bottles of bain de soleil suntan oil annually, determined as she was to maintain a perfect tan.

After her children finished school, patty went to work at huntington bank as a customer service representative, a job she took great pleasure in, spending more than 20 years there until retirement. Patty often rued the demise of personalized, friendly customer service in our technology-driven modern world, preferring the “way things used to be.”

during her years at the bank, patty and joe developed a love of gardening, and they transformed their property in the westmoreland area with flowering trees, bushes, and plants of all types, a koi pond, gazebo, and beautiful outdoor entertaining area. Their yard, a source of great pride to patty, bloomed beautifully with the seasons until she became weakened by the effects of age and illness several years ago.

Patty was predeceased by her husband alfred adam “joe” atkins, her parents, and many aunts and uncles to whom she was considerably close. She is survived by her four children: thomas atkins of louisville, ky; victoria atkins hamlin (drake) and timothy atkins, both of charleston; and carol atkins simmons (dick) of huntington; three grandchildren: jason vickers (and his wife christy, whom patty cherished and considered her own grandchild), kara simmons, and adam simmons; and three great-grandchildren: anthony, eric, and jeremy vickers, who brought her untold delight and whom she absolutely adored. The eldest of her great-grandchildren was born right after joe died in 2005, and patty credited his birth and the births of the other two boys for giving her renewed purpose and happiness in the years that followed. She bragged about them endlessly “” and with good reason “” to all who would listen. Patty is also survived by her devoted sister, mary ann sheehan (larry) of hopewell, virginia.

Patty’s life will be celebrated with a mass at st. Agnes catholic church, 4807 staunton avenue se, kanawha city, at 1:00 o’clock on saturday, july 29, 2017. The family will hold a visitation at the church from 11:00 a.M. Until 12:45 p.M. That day. A private burial will take place afterward. In lieu of flowers, the family asks you to make a contribution to boy scouts of america, buckskin council, 2829 kanawha blvd. East, charleston, wv 25311, to continue the good works that patty’s husband, joe, spent a lifetime doing to teach and help raise good young men in the charleston area.

Condolences may be sent to the family at: www.Barlowbonsall.Com

barlow-bonsall funeral home is in charge of the arrangements.