Edward Lammon Atkinson

Edward Lammon Atkinson, 86 years old, was born on August 31, 1935, in Sumter County, South Carolina, to Avis Lammon Atkinson and John William Atkinson. The family moved to Andalusia, Alabama when he was four years old, after the death of his father. Ed moved to Merced, California in 1951 to continue high school and lived there with his older brother, John, and his sister-in-law, Joyce. He returned to Andalusia to complete high school. While in high school, Ed played football and found a love for music, especially playing the drums. With high school completed, he went to Auburn University to major in Music, but college was not for him. He moved to Niagara Falls, New York, in 1955 to live with his older cousin, Vince, and wife, Jo. While there he worked at Olin Mathison. On a blind date, he met his future wife, and the love of his life, Patricia Matheson. He was drafted into the United States Army in 1958 and was stationed in Germany. He liked to note that he spent "1 year, 11 months, and 21 days" in the Army. Once out of the Army, he returned to Niagara Falls where he and Patricia were married on September 16, 1961. They then moved to Titusville, Florida, where Ed worked for Pan American at Cape Kennedy. He attended Brevard Junior College, receiving his Associate's degree in Environmental Control Engineering. In 1971, the family--including two daughters born in Florida--moved to LaPorte, Texas. The family finally landed in North Augusta, South Carolina. Ed worked at Fort Gordon in Augusta, Georgia, until he retired in 2004. In 2011, Ed moved to Nacogdoches, Texas, to be near his oldest daughter. He passed away on February 17, 2022.

Besides his drums, Ed enjoyed a good game of golf, playing into his seventies.

He was preceded in death by his wife, Patricia Matheson Atkinson, as well as his brother, John, and sister, Jane.

He leaves behind two daughters, Tina Atkinson Oswald, and son-in-law, Brian, of Nacogdoches; Mary Rozycki, and son-in-law, Henry, of Richmond, Virginia; as well as six grandchildren (Bridget Dougherty, David Strafer, Jessica Oswald, Rebecca Oswald, Claire Tibbs, and Samuel Tibbs), and two great grandchildren (Vincent Dougherty and Evelyn Dougherty).

Donations in his name may be made to the National Epilepsy Association or the Alzheimer's Association.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.casonmonk-metcalf.com for the Atkinson family.