Evelyn Nora Atkins

Evelyn, also known as “Mother,” “Granny,” “Aunt Mutt,” grew up in Bartlett, Texas, but found her way to Austin along with her sister in her late teens, where she met who would be her one great love, Gerald David Atkins, Sr. at the Tally Ho. He took one look at “the most beautiful girl in the world” and decided he would be wasting no time in marrying her. As fate would have it, they were born two days apart, Jerry on the 29th of March, 1928, and Evelyn on the 31st of March 1928, so it just made sense to run to Bartlett on March 30th of 1949 with her sister and her sister’s beau to get married. Seeing as how Evelyn and Jerry connected in an old Austin restaurant, Evelyn nurtured her affinity for people and work through waitressing. She served people at various establishments, including Scholz Bier Garten, and eventually Charlie’s Steakhouse. But, to draw attention to the best words thus far: she served people. It really didn’t matter who you were - the doors to her home were always open for a meal, or a rather long stint of dwelling, she didn’t pay it any mind. She just wanted people there to serve. And serve her family she did - there was never a time when she didn’t want a baby on her hip (didn’t matter whose), where she wasn’t fretting over the children getting something to eat, or just generally ensuring happiness. Her favorite exclamations were “Ain’t that purrrty?” and “In’t that the cutest thing you ever seen?”, usually said on her countless shopping trips with her favorite shopping buddy Gloria. She loved ice cold Big Red, mowing, ice cream (which she had for dinner more often than not), Jim Reeves on a lazy afternoon, ducks, Honky Tonks and Pearl Light, Jerry, bluebonnet walks at the lake, babies, Gloria, Debbie & Davy, puttering around her plants, decorating for Christmas, her dogs, sitting on the porch, wrapping her arms around the people she loved.

She is preceded in death by her parents (mentioned above), her husband, Gerald David Atkins, Sr., her daughter, Debra Lynn Hollingshead, her son, Gerald David Atkins, Jr., her grandson Christopher Hollingshead, her sisters Agnes, Vern, Dort, her brothers Clarence and Floyd, as well as numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins. She is survived by her daughter, Gloria (Mike) Bashara, her grandchildren Amy Bashara, Amber (Brad) Stevener, Caleb Bashara, Kara Atkins, Jacob Atkins, and Shauna Hollingshead, and her great-grandchildren Meghan Wagner, Damon Flores, Connor, Shara, and Grayson Stevener, along with countless nieces and nephews.

There will be a wake at Mike & Gloria’s (607 Quail Creek Drive, Round Rock, TX 78664) on Saturday, November 16th at 3:00 pm to celebrate Evelyn’s life with food and fellowship. Wear red - it’s her favorite.

Goodness gracious, Granny Goose, you are so loved.