Grace Charlotte Atkins

Atkins, Grace Charlotte 84, peacefully passed away, surrounded by her loving family on March 13, 2018. Grace was born in Middletown, New Jersey, to the late Jesse T. and Helen Annie Dirickson Harris. She resided in Red Bank was formerly from Atlantic Highlands, Englishtown and Raleigh, N.C.

Grace started her career in the field of nursing straight out of high school then worked at AT&T Bell Laboratories as a telephone operator. She later became self-employed as the owner and founder of Pineview Manor Private rest home in Englishtown, NJ. After retiring and moving to Raleigh, NC she enjoyed some of her favorite hobbies such as traveling, sewing and baking. A grandmother, raising a grandson, she went back to school. Grace pursued her Associates degree in Business Administration at King College, her Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration at Rutledge College, graduating Summa Cum Laude and her Real Estate broker license from Kean College, NC.

Truly a Jersey girl, Grace moved back to New Jersey and raised three more grandchildren and began to work part time at Fort Monmouth Army base. You could always visit her home and enjoy fresh home baked pound cake, a cup of coffee and good conversation which seemed to never run out. Most important to her was spending time with family and friends.

Grace was a member of the Union Missionary Baptist Church of Middletown and served on the Missionary society. She loved her church family and spoke highly of them. She imparted the wisdom and stories of the area as well as her role as an advocate for progress within the community.

Grace is predeceased by her son, Mr. Lynn Gary Atkins and a brother, Jesse T. Harris, Jr. “Junie”. She is survived by her loving husband of 66 years, Joseph Atkins; three sons, Joseph III, Richard A. and Henry Tindal; two daughters, Deborah Willis Atkins and Jacklyn M. Atkins; a loving brother, Richard Harris, 13 grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and a host of loving relatives and friends.

There will be a memorial service held on Wednesday March 21, 2018 at the First Baptist Church, 84 Maple Avenue, Red Bank at 6:00 PM. Memorial donations can be sent to Atkins International Youth Foundation P.O. Box 8516 Red Bank, N.J. 07701.
Please visit Grace’s memorial website at www.johnedayfuneralhome.com

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