Albert Atkins

Albert P. Atkins, 83, of Jackson died Sunday, Dec. 31, 2006, at the Monticello House in Jackson.

He was born Feb. 26, 1923, in Oberlin, Ohio, son of Zigmond and Julia Ragoni Atkins. He married Lorretta J. Pisanello July 12, 1958, at the St. Josephs Catholic Church in Alliance, Ohio.

Atkins was inducted into the U.S. Army on Feb. 9, 1943, and honorably discharged from service Oct. 15, 1945, at the rank of tech sergeant. While in the Army he was a bombardier on a B-17 with the Eighth Air Force in England completing 31 missions. He was awarded the Air Force Air Medal with five Oak Leaf clusters.

Atkins was a graduate of Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio, with a major in industrial arts education; and had attended graduate school at Wayne State University in Detroit. He retired as director of planning and construction at Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau.

Atkins moved to Jackson in 1979. He was a member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.

Survivors include his wife Loretta; two sisters Margaret Kear of Wharton, Ohio and Helen Annahle of South Bend, Ind.

He was preceded in death by his parents and four brothers.

Friends may call from 4 to 7:30 p.m. today at McCombs Funeral Home in Jackson. Visitation will be followed by a parish prayer service with the Rev. Edward Eftink officiating.

A viewing will also be held from 5 to 7 p.m. Friday at the Sharer-Stirling-Skivolocke Funeral Home in Alliance, Ohio.

Funeral Mass will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday at Regina Coeli Catholic Church in Alliance followed by entombment at the Highland Memorial Park Cemetery and Mausoleum in Beloit, Ohio, with a full military honors service.