Mrs. Watella Mae Atkinson

ATKINSON, Mrs. Watella Mae - Age 85, passed away Wednesday, November 2, 2016 at Briarwood Manor. Family hour 10:00 AM Saturday, November 12, 2016 at Rising Star Baptist Church, 502 W. Flint Park Blvd., with funeral service commencing at 11:00 AM Elder James McDade officiating. Interment Gracelawn Community Cemetery, G-5710 N. Saginaw Street. Friends and pallbearers will assemble at the church 10:00 AM Saturday. Mrs. Atkinson will lie in state in the Chapel of Lawrence E. Moon Funeral Home, 906 W. Flint Park Blvd., and may be viewed from 12:00 PM - 8:00 PM Friday. Mrs. Watella Atkinson was born February 8, 1931 in Flint, Michigan, the daughter of Leroy Campbell and Sonobia Aaron. She lived in Flint her entire life and married Damos Atkinson after graduating from Northern High School. Watella was a faithful member of Rising Star Missionary Baptist Church for forty four years. She helped form the Nurses Guild, the Mothers Board and was the first Pastor Aid President as well as the first secretary of the Missionary Society. She also helped form the church’s kitchen committee where she was known as the only lady that could cook an entire meal while sitting down! Watella was the Health Chairman and also a homeroom mother and volunteer at Dewey Elementary School. Later she was a volunteer in the effort to open the Sylvester Broome Center. After it was opened she worked in the center’s kitchen ensuring the students had a hot lunch. She was also the secretary for the AARP chapter that met at the center. Watella loved working in her church, gardening, fishing, sewing, cooking, sitting on her porch and talking on the phone. She loved garage sales and restoring antiques. She spiritually fostered many children including the Dewey school neighborhood and beyond. Mrs. Watella Atkinson leaves to cherish her memory; 3 daughters, Mercedes Atkins, Victoria Nash and Tammy Atkinson all of Flint and 1 son, Philip Atkinson of Flint; 23 grandchildren, Tracy and Terry Atkinson, Tawana and Tonya Atkins, Alicia Crader, Marcell and Cameron Simmons, Shamica Marshall, Taisha Barnett, Cameron Bradley, Demario Bradford, Javarrious and Asia Jourdan, Ruben Bailey, Lorraine and Laurice Young, Da’Nisha Simmons, B’Onnie Marshall, Joyce Ann Corbin, Casey Young, Freddie Carter, Ernest Brooks, Arnold Crader Jr. and Chris Young, all of Flint, Twan Nash of AR and Justin Pridgeon of Lansing, MI; 11 great-grandchildren, Mishari, Morgan and Taylor Atkins, Tyshanna Atkinson, Kiyosha Nash, Christopher and Christian Hampton, Patches and Lakia Young, Nigel Crader and Eric Polk all of Flint; sister, Gwendolyn Suluki; 6 nieces, Ebonie and Narotha Ogden of Flint, Rose and Joyce Atkins of New Orleans, LA, Yvonne Wilson and Mary Atkins of Flint; 7 nephews, Jamal Atkins of Flint, Lamar Atkins of New Orleans, LA, Lamar Wilson of Flint, Aaron Wilson of CA, Robert Wilson of Grand Rapids, MI, Kirise Atkins of Flint and Simeon Atkins of Detroit, MI; cousins, Joan Grace Lewis Belleville, William (Sharon) Broadway, Sr., Rev. Colette Lewis-(Charles) Mitchell of Belleville, MI, Nona Adams of Cincinnati, OH, Gwendolyn Allen of Flint and Dawn Peterson of Flint. A host of other relatives and special friends including: Elder James McDade, Ronnie Nash, Thyra Williams, LaTanya Williams, Emma Johnson, Rev. Eugene McMillan, Arnold Crader, Eddie Harvell, Deacon Royal (Linn) Alexander, Sr., Roderick (Tracy) Smith, Alvin (Margaret) Pollard, Jr., Lexie Jenkins and Deacon Gary )Mary) Wicks. Mrs. Atkinson was preceded in death by; husband, Damos Atkinson; grandson, Eric Dean Paxton, Jr; great-grandson, Baby Tyler Atkins; sister-in-law, Idella Joseph and cousin Myra Washington. The Family would like to express special thanks to: Dr. K Ahmed and Hurley Staff, Heartland Health Care Center Briarwood, Heartland Hospice-Hospice Care, Pastor Patrick Sanders Jr., the Rising Star Church family and all of Mother’s friends and neighbors.

Mrs. Watella Mae Atkinson

February 8, 1931 - November 2, 2016