Vern A. Atkins Jr., died March 9. Junior, as he was referred to by his immediate family, was born on March 9, 1941 in an upstairs apartment in Springfield, Missouri to Vern A. Atkins Sr. and Hazel V. Atkins (Haden). Junior always told the story of how his family used an open dresser drawer to place him in after birth in the absence of a crib. He died in his home at the age of 74 in the presence of his family after battling liver cancer for more than five years. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Sharron Lynne Atkins (Parks), his daughter Krista Lynne May (Atkins) and her husband Terry May and their three children Katie Lynne (13), Kiley Grace (12) and Zachary James (9); his son Richard Grayson Atkins and his wife Elissa Atkins (Johnson) as well as their three children Maxwell Logan (17), Miles Grayson (13), and Montgomery Cohn (8); his son V.A. Atkins III and his wife Diane Atkins (Brust) and their two children V.A. Atkins IV and Cheyenne Kay-Lynn as well as one brother John Richard Atkins and his wife Dianna Atkins (Roberts).
Contributions honoring his life can be made in his name to the Hamilton County Humane Society.
