Jean Marlene Atkins age 73 of Broken Bow passed away Saturday, at the Callaway Good Life Center in Callaway.
Marlene was born in Maryville, Missouri to Leland and Colene (Ridlon) Bohart of Maitland, Missouri on April 14, 1947. She was joined a few years later by a sister named Vickie. She grew up on the family farm near Maitland and graduated from Nodaway-Holt High School in 1965. She attended one year of college at Tarkio College in Tarkio, Missouri.
Marlene married the local renegade, Maurice Atkins, on April 2, 1966. Maurice had been drafted into the army and was soon to be stationed in West Germany. Marlene joined him there in August of 1966 and a son, J.B., was born to them while stationed there on active duty. Upon fulfilling Maurice’s obligation to the US Army, they returned to Maitland in November of 1967.
The Atkins family moved to Fairfax, Missouri in December of 1968 where two more sons joined them – Aaron in 1970 and Ryan in 1973. While in the Fairfax community, both Marlene and Maurice rededicated their lives to Christ at the Fairfax Baptist Church. They farmed at Fairfax until 1979 when they moved to a purchased farm at Barnard, Missouri. They moved their membership at the Fairfax Baptist Church to the Laura Street Baptist Church in Maryville, Missouri.
As Marlene’s children graduated from school, she began taking classes in computer operations at VoTech in Maryville MO. These classes prepared her for the transition from fulltime mom to fulltime employment. Upon graduation, she went to work at a doctor’s office in Maryville MO. She later went to work at another doctor’s office in Mound City MO and followed that employment with a job at the Maitland Farmers Bank in Maitland MO, as a teller.
As grandchildren began to arrive, Marlene became more involved in their lives. Eventually moving to Broken Bow NE, with Maurice, to be closer to her favorite grandchildren (inside family joke) Sterling and Jayde Atkins, son and daughter of J.B. and Sonya Atkins. She began her new life in Broken Bow as a para at Broken Bow Public Schools where she could see her grandchildren almost every day. She eventually took a job with the County Assessor’s office where she met her new best friend – Judy Taylor. Marlene’s kind-hearted behavior helped her make friends throughout the county courthouse. Marlene and Maurice also began attending the Berean Church while in Broken Bow where they were able to attend the baptism of both Sterling and Jayde which meant a lot to Marlene.
Marlene retired from the Assessor’s office in June of 2015. She was able to fill in the gaps with travels to her grandchildren in Missouri – Kaitlyn and Megan from Aaron and Cathy Atkins, and Ashlee Atkins from Ryan and Janet Atkins as well as step-grandsons Jeremy and Eric Gabelmann. These trips included lots of softball games as well as dance recitals and the always exciting Christmas get-togethers with both families. Marlene was also very active within the Berean Bible Church of Broken Bow. She was a great witness for Jesus and lived her life as an example of such.
Marlene enjoyed traveling in her retirement. She particularly loved traveling through the mountains. She peacefully passed to God’s kingdom at Callaway Good Life Center on October 17, 2020.
She was preceded in death by a grandson – Sterling Atkins, as well as her parents, Leland and Colene Bohart. Survivors include husband Maurice of Broken Bow, sons – J.B. (Sonya) Atkins of Broken Bow, Aaron (Cathy) Atkins of Columbia MO, and Ryan (Janet) Atkins of Wentzville MO, six grandchildren – Jayde (Cody) Trump, Kaitlyn and Megan Atkins, Ashlee Atkins, Jeremy (Morgan) Gabelmann, and Eric Gabelmann, one great granddaughter Tinley Gabelmann, and her sister Vickie (Bob) Martin of Maitland MO.
Funeral services will be held on Saturday, October 24, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. at the Berean Bible Church in Broken Bow with Pastor Tyce Jensen and Pastor Larry DeMoss officiating. Burial will follow in the Broken Bow Cemetery. Memorials are suggested to the Broken Bow EMT’s. A visitation will be held on Friday, October 23rd from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. at Govier Brothers Mortuary in Broken Bow. Govier Brothers Mortuary are in charge of arrangements. An online guest book may be signed for words of encouragement or remembrance at www.govierbrothers.com. Govier Brothers Mortuary will comply with the CDC and State of Nebraska. We sincerely encourage each person to make your decision whether to attend based on the best interest of your health and that of your community.
