Joanne (Jody) Holcombe Atchison, 70, of Birmingham, AL, went to be with her Lord on March 20th 2018. Born on August 27th, 1947 in Bessemer, AL to Calvin and Rosalie Holcombe, Jody attended Banks High School in Birmingham, AL where she was a member of Sigma Chi Delta sorority and graduated in 1965. Jody went on to earn her degree in Physical Education from Alabama College (University of Montevallo) in 1969. It was at Banks where she met the love of her life and husband of 49 years Richard (Dickey) Atchison. They were married on February 1st, 1969 in her hometown of Birmingham. They had the type of love that people would admire and strive to emulate. Two soul mates destined to reunite one day in Heaven.
Jody began her distinguished career at Homewood Jr. High (Homewood Middle School) on September 1st, 1969. She dedicated her summer breaks during her first 5 years of teaching to earning her Master’s Degree in Education from the University of Montevallo in 1975. Teaching was Jody’s passion, and she was a trail blazer for women’s athletics in the state of Alabama. She was the catalyst in bringing women’s sports programs to Homewood Middle School via Title IX. Jody established the Girls Athletic Club (GAC) in 1972, and at one point served as the Head Coach of all the girls’ athletic programs at Homewood Middle School (HMS), which included Basketball, Volleyball, Softball, and Track. She also taught Girls’ Physical Education (P.E.) and Health Education throughout her tenure at HMS. In 1990 Jody was awarded the honor of Public School Health Education Teacher of the Year, and in 1992 she was named the ASAHPERD Physical Education Teacher of the Year. Jody’s students, who referred to her as “Mrs. A,” will always remember her creative teaching methods, her involvement with the Jump Rope for Heart program, and how she encouraged and inspired every student to do their best and to never give up!
Jody retired from teaching in 1998 after 29 years at Homewood Middle School. She had a fitting finale to her retirement party by inviting all the guests to the gymnasium to witness her climb the rope one final time. And of course, Jody reached the top once more! Retirement was difficult as she was not designed to remain idle. Jody spent the next few years working part time for the American Lung Association before transitioning over to the University of Alabama in Birmingham Lung Health Program. She assisted in research projects focused on students’ health and assisted in providing asthma screenings and education to the local schools throughout the Birmingham area. Her interest in lung health began when she lost her mother to lung related illness caused from smoking. During her teaching career, she placed a strong focus on educating her students about the dangers of smoking and second-hand smoke. In 1992 Jody successfully petitioned the Homewood City Council to have smoking banned from all local restaurants.
Jody’s family and friends use words such as inspirational, enthusiastic, passionate, determined, strong, competitive, caring, humble, and forgiving to characterize her personality. Physical Education and health were not just part of her teaching curriculum-it was a way of life for her and Dickey. Their healthy diet and daily exercise was their way of treating their bodies like a temple which enabled them to continue serving the Lord and watch their family grow. Jody lived her life for the Lord and always led by example and put others first both personally and professionally. If anyone ever told Jody she couldn’t do something, she would ultimately prove them wrong through hard work and determination. There was nothing Jody couldn’t do!
Jody had many passions and hobbies throughout her life. Foremost, was her faith in the Lord and living each day for Jesus Christ. She was an active member of Mountaintop Community Church in Vestavia Hills, AL, and she also volunteered at the Oak Mountain Mission sharing blessings and providing for those in need. She took pride in even her most private activities such as reading the Holy Bible from cover to cover multiple times. She also loved playing golf. Dickey and Jody were active members at Altadena Valley Country Club up until it closed. Subsequently, they joined Hoover Country Club. Her interest in the sport began as an opportunity to spend more time with her husband. However, her fondness for golf quickly became her obsession. She enjoyed the challenge of learning this sport and her competitive nature drove her to dramatically improve over time. Jody loved the sport and developed many close friendships with her golfing buddies over the years. One amusing fact about her golf game that shouldn’t come as a surprise to those who knew Jody is that she refused to ride in a golf cart when she played. Even in the sweltering heat of summer, Jody insisted on walking every hole and stubbornly refused to ride in a golf cart unless it was mandated by the course! Her strength and determination were always on full display up to the very end. Needless to say, her push cart will be waiting for her in heaven on the first tee.
Jody’s second home was at Lewis-Smith Lake in Arley, AL. She loved spending time with her family at their lake house creating timeless memories for each generation. She called it her “happy place”. It was at the lake where her skills as a Master Gardener were on full display both inside and outside of the home. She and Dickey spent endless hours growing and maintaining their beautifully landscaped flower beds and gardens. She even paid homage to the old Altadena Valley Country Club by transplanting dozens of flowers from that course to the gardens around their lake house. Jody’s spirit and memory will live on for generations to come at this family treasure.
Of all the success and achievements throughout Jody’s life, her family was by far her proudest accomplishment. Jody is survived by her husband of 49 years, Dickey Atchison; children: Jeff Atchison, Leslie (Kevin) Wheeler, and Jeremy (Whitney) Atchison; grandchildren: Abby, Cole, Owen, Olivia, Jackson, Connor, Ava Kate, and Isla; and her siblings: Susanne (Larry) Wright, Tim (Sharon) Holcombe, and Tina (David) Miller.
Jody’s life was ultimately cut short from a rare, degenerative, and invariably fatal brain disorder known as Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD). Currently, there is no cure or treatment for patients with CJD. Upon receiving the diagnosis, Jody leaned on her family, her faith in the power and strength of Jesus Christ’s love, and the beauty and peace that would await her in heaven.
A memorial service for Jody will be held at Mountaintop Community Church in Vestavia Hills, AL on May 5th, 2018. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m. followed by the memorial ceremony at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made in Jody’s name to www.homewoodcityschoolsfoundation.com/what-we-do/scholarships/. A college scholarship will be awarded annually to a high school senior girl from the Homewood School System who wishes to pursue Physical Education or Health Education. Memorials may also be made to www.cjdfoundation.org or CJD Foundation, P.O. Box 512, Akron, OH 44334. The CJD Foundation supports families affected by prion disease, raises awareness, and supports medical education and research.
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