Billy Joe Adkins

Visitation is 5:00-8:00pm Friday, December 2, 2011 at Baldwin-Lee Funeral Home in Pearl. Funeral services are 1:00pm Saturday, December 3, 2011 in the funeral home chapel with interment in Floral Hills Memory Gardens.

Mr. Adkins was born October 11, 1940 in Philadelphia, a son of the late Bill Devon Adkins and Autie Mae Deweese. He was an outstanding athlete at Pearl High School where he graduated in 1960.

Mr. Adkins retired from Cataphote after a 20 year career and owned/operated the Orbit station at Lakeview for many years. He was a member of Grandview Baptist Church in Pearl, was active with the Pearl Touchdown Club and was an avid Ole Miss fan. His hobbies included hunting, fishing, and cooking for large gatherings of family and friends.

Survivors include his wife of 49 years, Mary Donald Adkins of Brandon; son, Billy Joe Adkins, Jr. of Brandon; daughters, Merri Wright and husband Ricky and Melynda Hancock and husband Joel; brother, Jerry Adkins; sister, Marjorie Branning; and grandchildren, Brittany Wright Fife, Allison Wright, Noah Wright, Courtney Hancock, Mollye Hancock and Joel Elijah Hancock.

In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by wife’s parents, William Hillman Donald and Pearl Henry Donald; brother-in-law, Hunter Branning; niece Judy Branning and nephew, Bobby Golden.

Memorials may be made to Pearl Presbyterian Church or Grandview Baptist Church.

The family extends a special thanks to Dr. Thomas Turner, Dr. Felix Gordon, Dr. Michael Albert and Dr. William Krooss for their dedicated care.