Mary Atkins Turnbull

She was born February 12, 1947 in Portsmouth, Virginia, to Woodrow J. Atkins and Evlyn Tuck Atkins. She was predeceased by her first husband Edward L. Chambers, and their daughter, Angela Marie Chambers. Mary is survived by her husband Allen; brother, James W. Atkins (Sarah) of Richmond, Virginia; and many much-loved nieces and nephews, and great nieces and nephews. In her last year, Mary was blessed by the friendship of Nicole Basom, her loving and helpful companion.

Mary graduated from Bluestone High School in 1965. She received her B.A. from Radford University, and M.A. from William and Mary. She taught Social Studies in Newport News before becoming the Media Specialist at York High School for 20 years and retired as Media Specialist at Lafayette High School after 15 years.

Growing up in Clarksville, Virginia, she became an accomplished shalom water skier on nearby Buggs Island Lake. She returned to Clarksville in 2010 when she inherited Beaver Pond Farm, her childhood home. This allowed her to enjoy skiing again after a 50-year absence. She came up on the first try! Nothing brought a smile to her face as much as sweeping out fast and wide when Allen sharply turned the ski boat.

Combining an eye for detail with amazing hand coordination, Mary was a renaissance artist. Her art through the years included woodworking, intricate basket weaving, paper mâché, ceramic pottery, faux painting, and photography. She also played the piano well and was an artist on the keyboard.

Mary loved flowers and enjoyed tending her evolving garden. Her first iteration was front yard showy annual flowers. Then it was perennials, native plants, and pollinators which led Mary to become Secretary of the John Clayton Chapter of the Virginia Native Plant Society. This phase also led to Master Naturalist certification. Next, she mixed in edibles and the driveway border became asparagus. She designed her garden around blooms in every season so she could provide the Sunday morning flower arrangement for her beloved Williamsburg Unitarian Universalists.

Mary greatly enjoyed her bridge groups and to all her partners she says, “I bid seven spades”.

Mary loved bicycling and walking. An early international trip to Japan included biking as well as hiking to the top of Mt Fuji (12,389 ft). Other biking and hiking vacations included New Zealand and nearly every European country. In Hawaii at age 54, she biked down Haleakala (10,025 ft) and in France at age 71, biked up the iconic Tour de France Col du Tourmalet (6,939 ft). Being passionate about biking for transportation, exercise, and helping the environment, she commuted 12 miles daily by bike to her job. She was the first President of the Williamsburg Area Bicyclists. For 20 years she was known as “Ms. Hospitality” by the 2,000 participants on the annual five-day Bike Virginia tours directed by her husband. Two especially proud moments on the tours for her were biking with two Virginia governors, Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.

Her bright smile and infectious “joie de vivre” will be greatly missed by all who knew her. Her wish was that no services be held. The family asks any donations be made to the Mary Turnbull Bike and Walk Fund at the Williamsburg Community Foundation, 1323 Jamestown Road, Suite 103, Williamsburg, VA 23185.

Condolences may be shared at www.NelsenWilliamsburg.com