Georgia V. Atkins September 2, 1945 – August 23, 2020

Georgia V. Atkins of Brinkley passed away at her son’s home in Benton at the age of 74. She was born in Wheatley to James “Buck” Swanigan and Lorsie Watson. Georgia was a lifelong member of the Wheatley Church of God in Christ in Wheatley. During her tenure, she served as a licensed missionary, president of the Home and Foreign Mission, chairperson of the church program committee, member of the Board of Trustees, assistant church secretary and district secretary of Home and Foreign Mission. She enjoyed serving the Lord and being helpful in her church.

Georgia received her education from the Wheatley/Brinkley Public School Systems. She was a 1964 graduate of Marian Anderson High School in Brinkley. She went on to further her education by attending AM&N College (currently, University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff), where she received her Bachelors of Science in Education Degree in 1968. She was a former educator at the Brinkley Public School District in Brinkley, where she taught second grade for more than 20 years. She had previously taught for one year at the Cotton Plant Public School District in Cotton Plant.

Georgia was united in holy matrimony to Wilson Atkins Jr. in 1973 and to this union a son, Kendel was born.

Her father; husband; grandparents, Reverend Milton Watson Sr. and Easter Mae Watson; father and mother-in-law, Wilson Atkins Sr. and Izola Atkins; and three brother, Willie L. Swanigan, Isiah Swanigan and Lemoyne Swanigan; all preceded her in death. Survivors are her son, Kendel (Litisha) Atkins Sr., of Benton; four grandchildren, Imani Atkins, of Pine Bluff, Taylor Banks, of Benton, and Kendalyn Atkins and Kendel Atkins Jr., both of Benton; four great-grandchildren, Londyn Hawkins, Lekevious Hawkins, Lelah Hawkins and Logan Hawkins, all of Pine Bluff; her mother, Lorsie Watson-Reed of Brinkley; four brothers, Glenzell (Teresa) Swanigan, of Hillside, Ill, and James (Elaine) Matthews Jr., Darnell Swanigan and Larry (Carol) Geans, all of Chicago, Ill; six sisters, Dora Mae “Sue” Reed, of Brinkley, and Lorraine Swanigan, Lenora (Eddie) Hunt, Verdell Swanigan (Paul) Taylor, Gloria (Kenneth) Spires and Dinah (Khizkeyahoo) Peterson, all of Chicago, Ill; extended family members, Monica “San” Reed, Chadwick “Chad” Reed, Rashad Yancey and Traylon “Tray” Reed, all of Brinkley; and a host of other relatives and friends.

Funeral services were held August 29 at the Brinkley Convention Center with Superintendent Ransom Smith officiating. Internment took place at Pilgrim Rest Cemetery in Wheatley by Branscumb Johnson & Gilchrest Funeral Home of Brinkley.