77-year-old Ray Atkins, of Birdseye, Indiana, passed away at 5:52 p.m., on Friday, September 10, 2021, at Memorial Hospital and Health Care Center in Jasper.
He was born March 17, 1944, in Eckerty, Indiana, to John Lloyd and Bertha Cloe (Flick) Atkins. Ray worked in furniture manufacturing and retired from the Indiana Department of Transportation. He was a member of Bethlehem Masonic Lodge #574 F&AM where he served as past Master, Order of the Eastern Star #590, and was a founding member of the Birdseye Fire Department where he was a firefighter for over 50 years. Ray was preceded in death by his parents; four siblings, Viva Good, Judy Murray, Marie Hammond and Kenneth Atkins who died in infancy; daughter-in-law, Jacqueline “Jackie” Atkins; and brother-in-law, Earl “Pat” Buening.
He is survived by his wife, Charlene (maiden name, Craig) Atkins of Birdseye; three children, Harold Gordon (Bev) Atkins of St. Anthony, Bryan Atkins of Birdseye, and Priscilla (Keith) Rickelman of Mariah Hill; five siblings, Ruby (Bob) Lane of Birdseye, Lou Ellen Buening of Ferdinand, Kathy (Mike) Hoffman of Birdseye, Jayne (Steve) Wininger of Birdseye, and Deby (Larry) Caldemeyer of Lynnville; by (6) grandchildren and (8) great-grandchildren.
Funeral services for Ray Atkins will be held at 11:00 a.m., E.D.T., on Wednesday, September 15, 2021, at the Nass & Son Funeral Home in Huntingburg with burial to follow at Birdseye Cemetery in Birdseye, Indiana. Rev. Albert Madden will officiate at the service.
Friends may call for visitation at the Nass & Son Funeral Home in Huntingburg from 2:00-8:00 p.m., on Tuesday, September 14th; and also one hour prior to the funeral on Wednesday. The Birdseye Fire Department in conjunction with the Indiana Volunteer Firefighter’s Association will conduct a memorial service at 6:30 p.m., followed by a Masonic memorial service at 7:00 p.m., conducted by the Bethlehem Masonic Lodge #574 F&AM, Tuesday evening, at the funeral home.
Memorial contributions can be made to the Bethlehem Masonic Lodge #574 F&AM, American Cancer Society, or to family wishes.
