Myrtle Faye Atkins, 90, of Hooker, Oklahoma passed away December 14, 2012 at her home.
Myrtle was born May 8, 1922 in Hooker, Oklahoma, the daughter of W.J. and Maude Jones Stell. She attended school in Hooker and graduated from Hooker High School with the Class of 1939. After graduation, she attended Dodge City Business College.
She went to live with her sister, Ruth Sheldon in Chicago and worked at a military facility, later to be known as Chicago O’Hare International Airport. Myrtle then returned to Hooker where she worked at the Air Force Base in Liberal, Kansas.
She met James Clair Atkins and they were married in Albuquerque, New Mexico on June 21, 1945. Later that year, they moved back to Hooker where she resided until her death.
On February 5, 1964, her husband Clair suddenly passed away. Alone with six school-age children, Myrtle immediately began to work at various jobs to support her family but settled into her signature career as a medical transcriptionist working for Southwest Medical Center in the X-Ray Department. She retired in 1987.
She was a member of the First Christian Church in Hooker and served as the church secretary for ten years following her retirement from SWMC. She was a member of the Women’s Business Professional Club in Hooker.
She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Clair; two brothers, Bill Stell and Edward Stell; two sisters, Thelma Jean Stell and Ruth Sheldon; twin great granddaughters, Haley and Josie Hofferber.
Survivors include her three sons, Dennis James Atkins and his wife Rhonda of Hooker, Oklahoma, Michael Brent Atkins of Garden City, Kansas, Pat Eugene Atkins of Hooker, Oklahoma; three daughters, Billie Lea Beall and her husband Jim of Albuquerque, New Mexico, Linda Lucille Kerr of Hooker, Oklahoma, Tina Claire Moravec and her husband Ron of Waukomis, Oklahoma; eight grandchildren, Todd Kerr, Brian Beall, Eric Hofferber, Chad Beall, Nicholas Hofferber, Greg Atkins, Will Atkins, Katie Atkins; four great grandchildren, Jace Kerr, Jerod Kerr, Rylyn Hofferber and Jhett Hofferber; one sister Janet Cox and her husband James of Enid, Oklahoma.
Memorial services will be at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 18, 2012 at the First Christian Church in Hooker, Oklahoma with Rev. Roy Berkley and Bro. Eddy Scoggins officiating. Interment will be in the Hooker Cemetery directed by Roberts Brothers Funeral Home in Hooker, Oklahoma.
Memorials are suggested to the Hooker Masonic Lodge or the Guymon Home Health Care & Hospice or a charity of the donor’s choice and may be left at Roberts Brothers Funeral Home, Box 745, Hooker, Oklahoma 73945.
Condolences may be left at www.robertsbrothersfuneralhome.com
