Jane Hudson Atkins

She was born on January 8, 1937 to Maurice Brigham and Reed Hudson in Memphis. While attending Ole Miss, Jane met and married Robert D. Atkins. She was employed by The State of Tennessee for 22 years where she was awarded Top Ten Auditor. Jane was instrumental in organizing the first Republican Primary in Gibson County. She was a member of the Republican Executive Committee, Chairman of the Gibson County Republican Women, and Gibson County Republican Party. She was a former chairman of the Tennessee Election Commission and was elected a statewide delegate for Ronald Reagan.

Well known for the magnificent floats she created with friends, Jane was deeply involved in the West Tennessee Strawberry Festival where she chaired and served on various Strawberry Festival Committees and was also selected as the honoree of the festival.

Jane loved everything beautiful and that if it looked good it could always looked better. Entertaining was something that just “rolled out of her.” It was almost like she invented it and then created a way to do it bigger and better. Jane was devoted to her family and many close friends.

Jane was preceded in death by her parents; her husband of 56 years, and her son, Robert Hudson Atkins.

She is survived by daughter, Anne Atkins Short and husband Douglas Fisher Short; their children, Ashley Brigham and Anne Fisher of Humboldt; daughter, Mary Atkins McCarroll and husband John Ramsey “Mac” McCarroll III; their children, Mary Marshall and Virginia Rowan of Memphis; daughter-in-law, Jane Evans Atkins; grandchildren, Robert Hudson Atkins, Jr., Carrie Horn Atkins, and Lawrence King Holcomb all of Memphis.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, December 8, 2015 at First United Methodist Church in Humboldt. Friends may visit with the family from 12 noon – 2 p.m. on Tuesday, two hours before the service.

The family has requested that memorial contributions be directed to First United Methodist Church of Humboldt, Methodist Hospice Residence of Memphis or a charity of your choice.

Sleep in heavenly peace our Steel Magnolia.