Laura Burbank Atkins

Laura was born on April 22, 1924, in Paxton, NE to Herbert and Gertrude Burbank. She graduated from Madrid High School and attended the University of Nebraska on a 4-H scholarship.

Laura met the love of her life, Haywood Atkins, while he was training with the US Army Air Corp in Lincoln, NE. They married on June 2, 1946, and moved to Cary, NC. She was a stay-at-home mom while raising her five children and later worked at Hudson Belk in downtown Raleigh. She was active in the YRAC Fire Department Auxiliary during the years that Haywood served as a volunteer fireman.

Laura was truly a member of the "greatest generation". Her focus was on her husband and children. She could and would do it all, from stretching a paycheck, making excellently tailored clothes, till the garden, relocating unwanted squirrels from her yard, and even chopping up any snake that dared to cross her path. She was exceptionally practical and talented when it came to building as was evident in the forever home she and Haywood built. Many of those attributes live on in her family today.

Laura enjoyed the simple things at home like gardening, watching hummingbirds feed near her deck, and watching the bluebirds raise their chicks. But Laura also loved her weeklong trips to the beach in a house full of grandchildren and great-grandchildren, along with months-long RV trips from Cary to the West Coast and Alaska, seeing many relatives and Americana along the way.

She and Haywood were members of Cary United Methodist Church while raising their family. They later transferred their membership to Apex United Methodist Church. Laura faithfully attended the Monday Bible Study and Joy Circle while her health permitted. She was also active in the Golden Agers Club in Apex.

Laura was predeceased by her parents Herbert and Gertrude Burbank, her husband Haywood Atkins, and her sisters Mary Anderson and Leta Batie. She is survived by her daughters Sherry Craver (Archie) of North Carolina, Janet Keller (Charlie) of California, Jacque Bass (Jerry) of Texas, and Judy Hudson (Lee) of North Carolina, her son Harold Atkins (Jeannie) of Virginia, her sister Vaunia Miyoshi of Colorado, and her brothers Wayne Burbank of Iowa and John Burbank(Nancee) of Wisconsin, her granddaughters Jennifer, Laura, Heather, Rachel, Haylee, and Summer and her grandson Michael, thirteen great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren.

A funeral service will be held a 12 p.m. Monday, September 18, 2023, at Apex United Methodist Church (Apex, NC) with burial to follow at Brier Creek Memorial Gardens (Raleigh NC). The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Apex UMC (105 S. Hughes St., Apex, NC 27502 or Transitions Life Care (Hospice) 250 Hospice Circle, Raleigh, NC 27607 (www.transtionslifecare.org)