Daniel Mobley Atkinson Jr.

Daniel M. “Dan” Atkinson, Jr. of Auburn, AL passed away early Tuesday morning, Sept. 26th in the loving arms of his wife of 23 years, Cynthia. He was 71 years old and died of complications due to Parkinson's disease.

Dan is survived by his sons Daniel Atkinson, III of Suwanee, GA and Joshua Atkinson of Auburn; daughter Joy Atkinson of Auburn; grandsons Cole, Ryan, and Chase Atkinson, of Suwanee, GA; mother-in-law Carole Clements of Auburn; sisters Dona Rhone (Wyatt) of Tuscaloosa, AL and Denise Amerson (Harvey) of Woodbine, GA; and brother David Atkinson of Alpharetta, GA. Along with many nephews. He is preceded in death by his parents, Daniel Mobley Atkinson, Sr. and Marjorie Louise Atkinson.

Dan was born on July 4, 1946 in Jacksonville, FL to Daniel and Marjorie Atkinson of Kingsland, GA, where he was active in the Methodist Youth Fellowship at local and district levels. When he was 13, Dan learned Morse Code and became a licensed "Ham" radio operator, a hobby that ignited a lifelong interest in broadcasting.

A graduate of Camden County High School, Dan played oboe and saxophone in the school band, which he led as a drum major. He also participated in chorus, drama troupe, and student government, in addition to serving as editor of "The Pine Knot News".

Dan earned a bachelor's degree in Religion and Philosophy at LaGrange College in 1969 while serving three years as Pastor of Jones Chapel Congregational Christian Church in Woodbury, GA. He also worked as a staff announcer for WTRP radio in LaGrange, GA. Dan completed his Master of Divinity at Emory University's Candler School of Theology, where he pastored the Powersville -Wesley Charge in the South Georgia Conference of the United Methodist Church.

In 1972 Dan accepted a position with Atlanta Interfaith Broadcasters and later that year was hired by Atlanta's WSB- TV where he began an acclaimed career in television Meteorology. Awarded the prestigious Television Seal of Approval by the American Meteorological Society, Dan covered the weather for WSB, Montgomery's WSFA-TV, ABC32, Atlanta's CBS46, and the Weather Channel cable Network. While in Atlanta he produced all broadcasts for Real Life Ministry, the media outreach of Dr. Paul Walker, senior pastor of Mount Paran Church of God, and supervised the editing of Dr. Charles Stanley's Worldwide "In Touch" telecast. Dan later served as an announcer with contemporary Christian music radio stations Victory 91.5 in Cumming, GA and The Lighthouse 89.3 in Kingsland, GA. At the time of his retirement he was an adjunct professor of Journalism at Troy University and hosted the weekly "Dan Atkinson Show" on Frazer Christian Television WFRZ.

In addition to his broadcast career Dan also enjoyed performing on stage, particularly in church musicals. Public speaking opportunities often allowed him to express his Christian faith through inspiring dramatic monologues. He volunteered to record dozens of books for the blind, including Elizabeth Elliott's "Through Gates of Splendor" which went into circulation nationally through the Library of Congress.

He has been a member of Mt. Paran Church of God, Atlanta, GA, Frazer UMC, and Church of the Highlands - Auburn Campus.

Dan thoroughly enjoyed hiking the Georgia mountains, camping with friends and family, touring Civil War battlefields, and travelling abroad.

Perhaps Dan's favorite pastime in his later years was looking through current and ancestral photographs and imagining their lives.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, October 1st from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at Alabama Heritage Funeral Home in Montgomery, Alabama. Celebration of Dan's Life will be held on Monday, October 2nd at Frazer Memorial UMC in Montgomery, AL with visitation from 12:00 to 1:00 pm and funeral service to begin at 1:00 pm. Graveside services will be in Opelika at Garden Hills Cemetery approximately 3:30pm.

The family would like to thank all of Dan’s loving caregivers, Compassus Hospice, and The Bethany House for their love and care they have shown him throughout the years.

Flowers will be accepted or donations may be made to the Parkinson Association of Central Alabama, PO Box 243004, Montgomery, AL 36124.

For more detailed service information please visit www.AlabamaHeritageFH.com.